The Bewitched Chronicles
by AJ Maxwell
Summary: A sort of GW-Charmed fusion, where the sides of good and evil have risen to great heights of power, and it's up to Heero and Duo to balance the scales. Shounen ai-yaoi. Various pairings. (No active Charmed characters)
1. The Incantation

Disclaimers: Gundam Wing is not mine. Charmed is owned by Spelling Production Group(uh...I think, but one of its producers is Aaron Spelling, so there) , Warner Brothers, and all associated parties.No copyright infringement intended. I am not making money out of this. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.  
Category: shounen ai/yaoi implications, angst, action  
Rating: R overall  
Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4, various  
Warnings: language, sap, violence, death  
Finished: May 17, 2000  
Author's Notes: This series is a fusion of Gundam Wing and Charmed. Some history, and a bit of Magic and Mayhem thrown in. It's weird, and this part's pretty long. Hope you love it!

Title: The Bewitched Chronicles, Entry #1: The Incantation  
Author: AJ Maxwell ( webmaster@weluvduo.zzn.com )

And so the foreign conquerors sailed in their ships, looking for a land for their cross and flag to claim. In the darkness, in the middle of the sea, fire was seen, the island ablaze in its fiery glory. There they named it, Isla del Fuego...Island of Fire.

And this is how the story begins.

Isla del Fuego, as it was called since the 1500's by the Spaniards, had always been a source of mystical power. It had earned its name because of the countless fireflies that had graced the small island every night, which made it look like a great burning land...scary, but enchanting from afar.

It was. Enchanting beyond imagination.

It was where witch doctors, medicine men, and flesh-eating monsters dwelled at that time, and in the 20th century, it also became popular to people from far away lands, seeking the mystery of the unknown.

The Island of Fire established its own city in the decades that came, which was called Fire City.

Now, to strangers, the name of the city made the impression that it was a city of chaos, of destruction, of grief and utter pain, but this was not so. Peaceful, yes, and full of warm and friendly people.

But for all the quietness and the seemingly perfect way of living in the city--in the whole island itself, there still lay its own mysteries, mysteries that were kept hidden to mere humans. After all, they might not understand.

It might be better for the secret to be kept.

And the keepers of this secret? They are the secret themselves.

Witches, warlocks, immortals, even angels, and other beings that keep themselves in the dark, and will remain unnamed.

Of course, the secret is not complete without the Halliwells, and the Peacecrafts.

Families of power, of good and evil, always in a mystical war, and their battleground is here, in the heart of the burning city.

Ciudad del Fuego. City of Fire.

It was Trowa Halliwell's fifteenth birthday.

"Kisama! Hurry up, Trowa! We're going to be late," Wufei scolded his youngest brother, hurrying his steps.

Trowa just kept silent, while Heero kept up with their eldest brother easily.

It's my birthday, isn't it? But why is it that no one seems to remember?

The green-eyed teenager's steps slowed, which his older brother Heero noticed. "You wouldn't want Wufei to be on your case again, Trowa. Hurry up."

He nodded. At least Heero's not scolding me, too.

The brothers arrived just in time for their first class, which was World History. They seated themselves and prepared for their class, even if the rest of their classmates were still chatting around and busily goofing off.

Wufei Halliwell read his textbook with analytical obsidian eyes, his hair tied back tightly behind him. Always the dutiful, diligent scholar, which made the blonde girl beside him admire him so much.

Dorothy Catalonia, the seemingly young, normal teenage girl. Very pretty, even with her exotic eyebrows, with her thick and lengthy blond hair that reached past her knees, that she always held back with a headband, and clear blue eyes that spoke a quiet intelligence, even for her age...

Her age--based on how she looked.

Giving the black-haired boy beside her a sidelong glance, she smiled to herself, then went back to pretending reading the damn book.

I know all this already. I've lived through every single day.

Heero Halliwell just skimmed the notes that he made the past night, after he finished reading the chapter that they were going to discuss that day. A bit sleepy from getting too engrossed in reading about Japanese culture, he blinked his cobalt-blue eyes, then returned to reviewing himself.

Trowa Halliwell, the birthday boy, read through the chapter, almost a bit frantically, but nothing showed in his actions.

I hope the teacher won't call on me this time.

The bell rang. Time for class.

Milliard Peacecraft gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Zechs, dear, what's bothering you?" Treize asked, concerned, and yes, a trifle nervous about his lover's actions.

The longhaired man sighed heavily, and took to pacing around his personal office. "Aries and Leo haven't returned from their search. I'm really getting impatient."

Treize blinked, then said, "How about Taurus and Cancer's search? Haven't they reported yet?"

Zechs paced faster. "No. Those bunch of imbeciles! When I get my hands on them--"

His lover's rant was lost on the ginger-haired man. He truly wondered why the four best henchmen of his lover have not yet reported back from their latest mission. The four knew their master's impatience very well, but they still haven't returned. They better come back with something, Treize thought to himself. Or Zechs will electrocute them again, maybe worse.

The door slammed open, admitting a blond teenage girl. "Dear brother," Relena began, "I felt your footsteps two floors down. What's the matter?"

Treize winced. The girl's voice grated his sensitive ear drums.

The leader of the Peacecraft hissed, annoyed, "Shut up. Why is it that you still can't control your powers?"

Relena scoffed, pride slightly wounded. "I just came to check on what's bothering you. What's wrong with being concerned?" she said, her voice getting louder at every word, and small cracks appeared on the walls.

There was an audible moan of pain, and Zechs looked up to find his Treize scowling and trying his best not to cover his ears. He glared at his sister. "Stop it, Relena. You're hurting him with your voice," he commanded, making his way towards his lover.

"Are you okay?" he asked Treize.

"It's always Treize this and--"

A bolt of lightning crashed next to the girl's foot, but before she could scream in shock, Milliard Peacecraft raised a fist, a pose threatening on its own.

The younger Peacecraft did not want her newly purchased dress burned, nor did she want her hair to go up in flames, like the last time.

Throwing dagger looks at his older brother's lover, she wordlessly walked out of the room.

Distracted from his previous worry, aqua eyes gazed at Treize lovingly. "I'm sorry you have to endure all this, and to think you're only human."

Treize smiled reassuringly at Zechs, his hand going up to stroke the fine platinum blond tresses. "It's okay. I'm getting used to her voice."

Zechs snorted. "Don't tell me that. I shouldn't have let her live here with us."

"She's your sister, Zechs. Besides, she's not used to living on her own, because she's always lived with you for...what? Fifty years?"

"Ninety-eight, actually."

Sighing, Treize pulled his warlock lover close for a kiss.

Trowa had no idea how he did it, but it happened.

Mr. Nelsen, a strict middle-aged man, called on him to state what was on page 362.

Not being able to read page 362 the night before, much less any page of the book, he had no idea about the answer.

He still kept his calm, though inside he was chanting to himself, I wish I know the answer. I wish you could just tell me. I really wish--

Then it happened.

If his eyes could widen further, they would. He suddenly knew the answer.

He was just saved from being sent to detention.

The whole class went on as usual.

Heero, who knew that his brother did not do his homework the night before, raised an eyebrow, then shrugged off his curiosity. Hn. Something might have seeped in his brain at the last minute.

Wufei, on the other hand, was very proud of his brother. He knew Trowa could do it, if only he would just do his homework and focus on important things, like his studies. This is a good change. My little brother has grown up, he thought, then he scowled. His 'little brother' was almost a head taller than him--a fact that didn't bother him at all. No. No bother at all...not really.

The bell finally rang, and the class rushed out of the door for lunch.

In the cafeteria...

Wufei sat down facing Trowa, and nudged his noodles with his chopsticks. A second before he was going to eat it, however, he suddenly remembered that something was missing.

He heard Heero snort beside him. "You forgot to add more soy sauce again."

He scowled. He had to line up and wait so long and he had to stand up again. Letting out an annoyed huff, he looked over at the condiments stand, and glared at the bottle of soy sauce...when it suddenly flew so fast towards him, nearly smacking him in the face and staining his pristine wardrobe.

The always calm and serious Wufei was a very shocked Wufei.

He would have thrown a fit just because of the brown stain on his white shirt, but the fact of how it was stained rendered him speechless.

What happened?

"Wufei? Wufei, are you all right?" asked Trowa. The green-eyed boy had seen the same thing, as well as Heero, who had his eyes narrowed in disbelief.

Amazing, they both thought.

Heero was the one who collected himself first, then cautiously looked around if anyone had also seen the phenomenon. "It seems that no one has seen it. You're safe," he told his eldest brother.

"What happened? What did I do?" Wufei asked, confused.

Trowa blinked, unused to seeing his brother distraught, because he had always seen Wufei strong, level-headed, and the one who always knew the answer to everything. He thought about telling his brothers about what happened during World History class, but decided that right then was not the time and place.

He'll know soon enough. I wonder if Heero can do something strange, too.

Sitting in a table not far away, Dorothy Catalonia dropped her dessert spoon, her mouth agape. She blinked once, twice, then rubbed her eyes. No. She wasn't just imagining things. She had seen something similar through the years...was it telekinesis? No, something similar, but...she shook her head, as if to clear it, then fell into deep thinking.

Finally, school was finished for the day. Though their school mates were having fun and hanging out at every possible place, either in the school parking lot or garden, or in the handful of fastfood restaurants in the city, the Halliwell brothers were quiet, and eager to go home.

The eldest Halliwell, Wufei, was walking much faster, his black eyebrows slanted down in an occupied V, as well as his younger brothers. That's why they didn't hear the girl who was calling them.

"Wufei! Wait! Wait up!"

Heero was the one who noticed, then turned. "Dorothy?"

His two brothers stopped, then turned, their frowns still not leaving their faces.

They were far outside the school's gate already, and no one was near. Finally, the girl whispered, "I saw you move that bottle at lunch today."

The Halliwell brothers' eyes went wide, then someone growled, "Omae o korosu."

Dorothy just smirked, then replied, "I'll watch you try."

"Heero, that's enough," the black-haired Halliwell said, his mouth in a tight line. "Dorothy, you will not say anything to anyone about what you saw."

She raised her eyebrows. "Of course. Why would I?"

"Dorothy, we're going home and we have a lot to do," Trowa said.

"I'll walk with you."

"Kisama..."

She just couldn't help it. She giggled, "You look so cute when you do that."

Wufei blushed furiously.

Heero couldn't decide if he'd be amused, irritated, or if he should just make good on his threat and kill the girl and smack his eldest brother on the head while he was at it.

"Wufei, Heero, we need to go home," Trowa reminded them again. Turning to Dorothy, he said, "You have a car, don't you?"

The blond girl just tilted her head, not answering.

Finding his wits at last, Wufei swallowed, then said to Dorothy, "We have to go now. I'll see you tomorrow."

They left, and thankfully Dorothy stopped insisting further that she would go with them.

The brothers reached an intersection filled with speeding vehicles. They waited for the cars to stop, then crossed the pedestrian lane. They reached the other side of the avenue, then turned right, heading to their manor located at Springer Drive, corner North Street.

It had been quite a long day, but they had a feeling that things were just about to start.

It was Heero's turn to cook.

Hn. I have so much to do, plus the assignment in English, Calculus, Physics and Music. Maybe I'll just use Trowa's secret cookware, just this once. Ninmu ryoukai.

The cobalt blue-eyed boy took out the 9-quart cookware that cooks by itself without direct heat, and vigorously rinsed it. When he finished, he turned to place it on the table, then he accidentally nudged a bowl that nearly went crashing on the tiled floor.

No!

Nearly, because it froze just before it broke.

Wufei came in to help, then stopped in midstep, his mouth hanging open. "Masaka..." he gasped. Not a few moments later, Trowa came in. "What the--?"

Still in a daze, Heero bent to pick up the floating bowl, and replaced it in the sink, before it would hit the floor. What did I just do?

The Halliwells were confused, and they were never used to being so off-balanced.

Just then, something soft and furry brushed Heero's ankle. Looking down, he found a strange cat, with black fur that had streaks of something purplish, and blue eyes. Heero looked questioningly at his brothers, then asked, "Did any one of you bring this cat in here?"

The two shook their heads in negation.

The feline purred, and brushed its tail against the back of Heero's right knee.

He didn't have much patience with pets. Deciding on getting rid of the cat, Heero picked it up, and walked towards the kitchen door leading to the living room, and their main door. He was about to open it, when the cat suddenly jumped out of his arm, and strode towards the foot of the stairs.

"Dammit," he hissed. He had to cook something for their special dinner, and he didn't have the time to chase the stupid cat. He calmly walked towards the cat.

The neko ran up the stairs, up to their attic.

Heero was getting annoyed, and when he got to the top floor, he found their attic door open. Strange. That door has always been locked ever since mother left ten years ago.

Wufei and Trowa heard their brother's footsteps going up the attic, and went after him curiously. When they reached Heero, they all gasped at what they saw.

Their mother was sitting on a chair, in the attic, a gentle smile on her lips.

"Mother?" Wufei gasped, for the second time that hour. He couldn't help but run towards his mother, and embrace her fiercely. "Mother...you've come back."

Une Halliwell bid her two sons nearer. "Come in. The time has come."

Heero strode towards his mother, confusion written in his cobalt-blue eyes, while Trowa struggled to remember how his mother looked like the last time he saw her. He nearly forgot.

"My sons, look at how you've grown," Une said softly in their ears, her blue eyes misty with unshed tears. "I've missed you all."

"Why did you have to go, Mother?" Wufei asked, his words muffled against her neck. 

Une held him tighter. "My son, Wufei. I'm so sorry...I had to."

"But why?" Heero's tone was accusing, bordering on angry. He never understood why Une Halliwell had to leave them, when Wufei was only seven and his youngest brother merely five years old. Sure, their mother left them money, and he was sure that someone had been taking care of their education, but Heero felt betrayed when their mother bid them farewell, without any explanation. "You never told us, you never explained. Why now?" he growled.

"Don't you dare talk to our mother like that!" Wufei hissed angrily at Heero. 

"I want you to explain, Mother," Trowa said, finally speaking up. "I want to know why you had to leave."

Heero and Trowa had already pulled away from Une's embrace. Only Wufei stayed, still holding his mother close.

"I've missed you, Mother," he whispered, sniffling very faintly, his face buried in Une's long brown hair. "You don't know how hard it's been for the last ten years. I thought I was going to fail you, and my brothers. I'm so glad that you've finally come back."

"Wufei. I've hurt you so much. If only I could--"

Heero bristled at the sight. He almost forgot how it had always been between his mother and his eldest brother, Wufei. He's always been the favorite, and Trowa and I are always just cast aside.

Quickly, Une looked up at him, then said, "That's not true, Heero. I love all of you equally."

Cobalt-blue eyes narrowed at that. He had almost forgotten that his mother had an uncanny way of knowing everything that they thought of, too.

That's weird. Mother knew what Heero was thinking about...like me, Trowa thought. Then Une smiled at him. Trowa, I always knew you'll have this power. Happy Birthday, my dear son.

Power?

"That is why I came back," Une said aloud in reply to her youngest son's query. "Trowa has turned fifteen, and all of you have discovered the powers that you've always had."

"Powers?" Heero asked, dumbfounded.

Wufei looked up. "You mean, when I moved the soy sauce bottle with just...willing it to come to me?"

Une nodded. "Precisely. And you Heero, when you saved that bowl from the floor earlier."

"I have that power...?"

"And you Trowa," their mother chided him, "that was a naughty trick you did back in Mr. Nelsen's class."

Wufei looked at Trowa suspiciously. "What does Mother mean, Trowa?"

"Masaka...I knew something was wrong earlier," Heero said, glaring at Trowa. "What the hell did you do?"

Trowa managed to look sheepish, then bowed his head, his bangs falling softly to hide his face. "I read Mr. Nelsen's mind, but it was an accident! I swear!"

"The three of you must know," their mother began, "that to have such powers comes responsibility. You can't use them for personal gain, like what Trowa had done, because when you do, there's always a consequence. Your powers are within you only to be used to protect the innocent, and punish the guilty."

When Wufei was about to rant on Trowa, Une held up a hand, then continued, "You, too, Wufei, and the most important rule is not use your powers in public. What would you have done, Wufei, if someone saw you aside from your brothers?"

The eldest son was nodding slowly, realizing his grave mistake.

"Actually, someone did see him, Mother," Trowa said.

Une raised an eyebrow. Who?

Trowa was about to answer back in his mind, when Heero had beat him to it. "It was Dorothy."

"Dorothy Catalonia?"

Heero nodded.

The eldest witch's tinkling laugh filled the attic. "She's still around?"

The three brothers looked at their mother quizzically, confused with what their mother had meant.

"Why, Mother?" Heero was the one who spoke first. "Do you know her?"

Still laughing, Une answered, "Know her? She was one of my best friends when I was in high school!"

"But she's still in the same school..." Wufei trailed, befuddled with the unexpected information.

Une shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "She owns the school, Wufei, and other numerous establishments around the island. She's very rich, you know, and still very pretty."

"But she still looks like...well, like a high school girl," Trowa said.

"She's immortal, Trowa, and she doesn't age."

The three were shocked to know that such existed.

"And the three of you, my dear sons, are the Charmed Ones."

Trowa frowned. "Charmed...Ones?"

"Traditionally, the Charmed Ones, who has the Power of Three, is only for females. The three of you weren't supposed to have inherited any power from the Halliwells, because you are males. However, your generation was the one to produce the Charmed Ones, and you're all males."

"I remember Aunt Sally," Wufei began. "Doesn't she have daughters?"

Une sighed heavily. "Your Aunt Sally does have a daughter, Wufei, but she's the only female, and she's...well--"

A loud meowl was heard, and their attention turned to the blue-eyed cat perched beside the foot of a book stand, that held a huge, ancient-looking book.

"I forgot all about the cat," Heero mumbled.

"Wufei, Heero, Trowa," Une presented, "meet Hilde, your cousin."

The cat blinked, then meowled louder.

"Cousin?!" they chorused.

"B-b-but she's--" Wufei stuttered.

Heero scowled. "Mother, are you mad?"

Trowa, surprising everyone, came towards his cousin, and picked her up. The cat nuzzled his neck with its ear. 

"Hilde was cursed when she was just a year old," Une said, not without sadness. "Heero was only seven months old at that time, when your Aunt Sally helped her best friend Noin, but it got her into trouble with Milliard Peacecraft, the leader of the Peacecraft Family of Warlocks."

Heero was curious. "What happened?"

"Lucrezia Noin was another witch, from a different family of witches that is not prominent, but she was very powerful, too. One day she got into a battle with Milliard, and he won." Une paused to calm herself, feeling anger at the memory. "The warlock forced himself on her, and she bore a son. She was so scared that Milliard was going to take her baby away, that he would raise the child as one of the Peacecrafts, for, you see, the baby was the sole heir to the Peacecraft power. That's why she sought Sally's help. Noin asked Sally to hide the baby, and she did."

"Then what?" Trowa asked.

"Milliard found out. He persuaded Sally to reveal where the baby was, but it was no use. The warlock's henchmen couldn't break through her thoughts, so he cursed Sally's only child." She waited a beat. "Hilde was cursed to live in the form of a cat, and she could only experience her true form every full moon of a leap year."

"That's horrible," said Wufei.

"But what could Noin do?" Heero inquired.

Une blinked. "Ah. She could heal, and she could manipulate water--turn it to ice, steam, snow, whatever she could think of."

"And Milliard?" Trowa asked. "What could he do?"

"He has full control over the weather, and he uses fire as a weapon."

Wufei's black eyes were wide with amazement.

"They have different powers," Heero observed, "while the rest of us only has one each."

Une shook her head. "You'll discover your other powers soon enough, when the time is right."

"But Mother," Trowa began, "what powers do you have?"

"I can read minds, like you, Trowa, and I can move things," she answered.

Wufei nodded. "Like me."

"That's why I had to leave," she started to explain, "because Milliard Peacecraft was really angry at Noin and Sally. He knew that Sally's my sister, and he knew that I was also a witch. I was afraid that he would hurt the three of you because of that, and that he would think that the three of you are the Charmed Ones."

"He's going to kill us once he finds out," Heero stated. He perfectly understood.

Trowa walked nearer to Une, then kissed her cheek. "We understand."

Heero just grunted in reply.

Une looked at each of her sons. "Another reason is that your Aunt Sally saw the future ten years ago, and what she saw scared the two of us."

Wufei gazed thoughtfully at their mother. "What did she see?"

"Trouble," she replied. "We decided that the two of us should strengthen our powers by dwelling in different Places of Power. Our powers increase through time, but if Sally saw that we couldn't handle it, even with the development of our powers within ten years, then we needed to seek desperate measures, and that is to seek a Place of Power. I don't know where she is, but I know that she's fine. We had to prepare, and so does the three of you."

Finally, Une Halliwell stood up. "I have to leave once again, my sons, but I will come back. We have time."

Wufei protested. "But everything's still so new to us! We couldn't possibly--"

"Hush, Wufei. Your White Lighter will be here soon."

"White Lighter?" Trowa asked. "What's that?"

"Oh, and before I forget, take care of Hilde!"

"Mother, I--" I'm sorry for what I did earlier.

Une smiled. "I know, Heero."

"Wind, swift and strong, carry me back to where I came from!"

Then Une Halliwell disappeared.

tbc


	2. Trouble is Brewing

Disclaimers: Gundam Wing is not mine. Charmed is owned by Spelling Production Group(uh...I think, but one of its producers is Aaron Spelling, so there) , Warner Brothers, and all associated parties. Magic and Mayhem is not mine. No copyright infringement intended. I am not making money out of this. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.  
Category: shounen ai/yaoi implications, angst, action  
Rating: R overall  
Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4, various  
Warnings: language, sap, violence, death  
Finished: June 10, 2000  
Author's Notes: This is a GW/Charmed fusion. I got majority of the storyline from Charmed, the characters from GW, a little Magic and Mayhem, and the Island of Fire bit from history. Wufei ain't Prue, Heero ain't Piper, and Trowa ain't Phoebe, although they're kinda alike in some ways, huh? 

Title: The Bewitched Chronicles, Entry #2: Trouble is Brewing  
Author: AJ Maxwell ( webmaster@weluvduo.zzn.com )

"WHAT?!" Milliard Peacecraft exploded, unleashing a bolt of lightning towards one of his best henchmen, Taurus.

The four henchmen, Aries, Leo, Cancer, and Taurus who was writhing in pain from the blow he received from his all-powerful master, had their heads bowed low in fear and shame, their lips brushing the carpeted floor.

Taurus, breathing deeply, replied, "We are really sorry, Master. We were able to trace an energy similar to that of the Peacecrafts, but before we could come to its source, the energy vanished. We--"

"I have no use for explanations," the platinum-haired warlock hissed, his gem-like aqua eyes burning a dark, fiery red. 

Treize came to his lover somberly, his sandaled feet making muffled thumps on the floor of the office. The stench of burning wood and the crackling sounds of crashing lightning alarmed him. He pleaded, "Zechs, please calm down! You're going to burn down the whole villa! You're causing a lightning storm--you're burning the whole island!"

The fires in the warlock's eyes slowly, but surely, fizzled out, meeting concerned azure eyes of Treize. "It has been sixteen years, Treize, and still my son remains lost--my only heir. Can't you understand that?" he implored his mortal love. "Only he can prolong the clan, and only he has the power to destroy the Halliwells--"

At the mention of the family he had left behind, a pain shot through the blond mortal's heart, numbed by his blind love. So blind. Une...

Zechs noticed his love's expression, then he whispered softly, "You've always known that they are my enemies, Treize, and they took my son away. The Halliwells and the Peacecrafts exist in this world to fight each other in an eternal war, you know that very well."

Treize nodded, his blue eyes reflecting all his love and, yes, the pain and regret of leaving his sons. "I've always known, Zechs, and I knew that fact very well the day I swore never to say her name and betrayed all that I had." He moved his face closer to peer into his warlock's eyes, then placed a tender kiss on the bridge of Zechs' nose. "I understand your longing for your son, my Lightning Baron. I understand more than you can imagine."

Zechs pressed a brief kiss on his lips, then faced his henchmen, who still had their heads bowed down on the floor. He narrowed his eyes, then intoned in all his evil majesty, "The Clan Master that follows me is the great Stealer of Souls, and I am sure that my son will defeat those witches once and for all. I will give the four of you another chance--look for the Stealer of Souls."

The Four straightened, then bowed again to pay homage to their Master. "We are deeply grateful, Master. We will not fail this time."

The Peacecraft just nodded his head imperceptibly. Closing his eyes and spreading his arms wide to his sides, he breathed in deeply, then chanted an old spell. 

"Frozen fingers of rain and hail,  
Come upon thy Master's bidding,  
For I am the Sun, I am the Air,  
As I am the Rain, let my power prevail."

The lightning storm had ceased, followed shortly by a downpour of rain and hailstones.

Wufei Halliwell was gritting his teeth, his mind ranting on about how much damage the roof had taken, and how much injustice to have the newly mowed lawn, courtesy of himself, burn to the ground in a span of 14 minutes, maximum. Heero, who tried freezing the lightning bolts from hitting the chimney, was sitting in one corner, a frustrated scowl on his face. Hn. Mission failed, as the rubbles of the chimney came crashing down inside their house five minutes ago.

Oh well. At least I don't have anything to mow now.

Trowa, on the other hand, was sitting on one of the couches, hands massaging his temple. He was wincing slightly.

"Trowa? What's wrong?" Wufei asked.

"I just can't help it, I--" the green-eyed boy swallowed. "The people outside...they're panicking so much, their thoughts just seep into my mind."

"We'll have to learn how to control our powers. You, Trowa, have to learn how to shut unwanted thoughts out of your mind," eldest brother stated logically. "And we must accomplish this as soon as possible, or we just might end up in a waste shuttle flying towards the sun."

"Heero, stop cursing and repeating 'fuck, damn the whole blasted planet' over and over again," Trowa complained. His head hurt, and his older brother just had to pollute his brain with such language.

"Shut up."

Trowa sighed. Wufei stood up with white spotless garments, ponytail, and his "Justice Must Be Served" look on his face. "I'm going to check the damages, and try to repair some things before this weather gets any worse than it already is. Heero, help me out. Trowa, shut the thoughts out."

Dorothy Catalonia raised an eyebrow as one part of her ceiling fell and crashed several feet from where she was curled up, sipping some hot chocolate.

"That Milliard. He still can't control his storm rages, hm?" she said to herself dryly. Taking a dainty sip from her cup, she closed her eyes, trying to determine what was hitting her roof. "Hailstones, and rain. Same routine, that evil one. Burn the whole island first, and then make up for it by drowning it in ice and water."

Bored, she shifted her blue eyes to the window to her right, where a 70 years old acacia tree was burning heartily down to its roots, which was hit by a streak of lightning minutes earlier.

"My son, please, control yourself!" the father pleaded, sweat trickling down his eyebrows.

The teenager gasped, trying to breathe in deeply, trying to control the rage within him--the overwhelming force that had always been there inside him, but one that he had never really known, until now. The dark force was eating him alive, inch by inch...

"I'm trying, father," he choked out, grasping the strands of his hair in his tightly clenched fists. "But it's so strong...stronger than the last one."

"You'll make it, son, we'll all make it. Just pray, and will it to go away--"

Suddenly, the boy's eyes gleamed red as he stared at the man in front of him. He grinned maliciously. "Pray?"

The man noticed the sudden change. Was this the thing that he had been fearing? Has it finally won over the soul of the boy he had taken within his house? He hesitated, but answered, "Yes, my son."

"And it will save my soul?" the boy asked, taking on a confused expression.

The man nodded his head, wishing with all his being that it would pass.

Maniacal laughter poured out of the boy's mouth, startling the man. "Then I guess you should take your own advice...right about now," he hissed, his eyes gleaming like eerie rubies, "perhaps your prayers can save your soul."

A scream shattered the solitude of the house, followed by fire, and numerous deaths.

The three Halliwell brothers gave up. It was just frigging freezing outside, and they were all blue in the face. The three stomped inside their manor, when hearty warmth greeted them.

Some thoughtful soul prepared a steaming pot of chicken soup, hot water bottles, blankets and basins of hot water anointed with eucalyptus to soak their numb feet in.

Yes, it was heaven on earth that was imitating hell for hours now.

"It's good that you've finally decided to come in. Nasty weather out there," somebody chided gently from the fireplace.

Wufei's night eyes widened in shock. Someone who was not supposed to be in their home was in fact, inside their house and making himself comfortable.

Heero, on the other hand, just reacted at the thought of danger.

The intruder froze, sweet mouth slightly apart.

"Okay," Wufei stated, taking the lead, "we get rid of him."

"Ninmu ryoukai." Cobalt blue eyes glinted with determination. Heero stepped nearer, but Trowa held him back with a firm tug on his arm.

"No. He doesn't mean any harm," he reasoned. "I've read his mind..." and seen his heart. He is a good person.

"Kisama! Trowa, he's an intruder! I'll get rid of him myself--"

To their sudden dismay, the stranger 'defrost'. Heavenly blue eyes blinked, then he smiled. "You froze me," he spoke, not without amusement. "I expected that."

Heero was going to freeze him again, when the stranger disappeared, then reappeared beside Trowa.

"Trowa Halliwell?"

He nodded, lost in the blue depths.

"Quatre. Quatre Winner," the intruder introduced himself, offering his hand in friendship.

The green-eyed boy accepted the gesture, then Quatre continued. "Can you please reassure your brothers that I mean no harm?"

"He means no harm, Wufei, Heero."

I have come here for my mission.

"Quatre says he came here for his mission."

"And what mission might that be?" the eldest, less suspicious, inquired.

To help the Charmed Ones.

"He's come to help us," Trowa stated. "I believe he's the one mother talked about last night."

"Hai. That is correct," the blond angel agreed. "I'm your White Lighter."

tbc


	3. Love, and Other Complications

Disclaimers: Gundam Wing is not mine. Charmed is owned by Spelling Production Group (uh...I think, but one of its producers is Aaron Spelling, so there) , Warner Brothers, and all associated parties. Magic and Mayhem is not mine. No copyright infringement intended. I am not making money out of this. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.  
Category: shounen ai/yaoi implications, AU, angst, action, dark themes  
Rating: R overall  
Pairings: 1x2x1, 3+4, 5xD(whoa don't hate me for this!), 6x13, 11+13, various  
Warnings: language, sap, violence, death  
Finished: September 4, 2000  
Author's Notes: This is a GW/Charmed fusion. I got majority of the storyline from Charmed, the characters from GW, a little Magic and Mayhem, and the Island of Fire bit from history. Wufei ain't Prue, Heero ain't Piper, and Trowa ain't Phoebe, although they're kinda alike in some ways, huh?  
Dedication: Thanks to my imouto Ryu, Elizabeth, Kristie, Sai-kun, and Ayako for their C&Cs and support.

/blah/ denotes thought, and telepathic conversation

*blah* denotes emphasis

~blah~ denotes dream sequence

Title: The Bewitched Chronicles, Entry #3: Love, and Other Complications  
Author: AJ Maxwell ( webmaster@weluvduo.zzn.com )

The Halliwell brothers sat on the plush sofa, each with his own blanket, hot water bottle, and a bowl of soup.

Wufei sighed. "Gomen, Quatre. I was just looking out for my family's safety. I didn't mean to act that way towards you."

The blonde White Lighter smiled, comprehension in his cornflower blue eyes. "Think nothing of it, Wufei. Is the soup good?"

He nodded. "Yes, very good. Thank you."

Heero just grunted, twitching his toes that were soaked in warm water.

There was silence, and, surprisingly, it was Trowa who broke it. "I'd like to know more about...Milliard Peacecraft."

Wufei nodded, seconding his brother's statement.

"I'd like to know more, too," Heero said after a moment.

The blonde sighed, wide innocent eyes losing their usual luster. "Hai, of course. That is why I am here--"

/But if it were up to you, you'd rather not talk about it, is that right?/_, _ Trowa regarded Quatre with his mind.

A smile flitted over Quatre's lips. "--to tell you about what you will eventually encounter, and to prepare you for it. Though I am saddened upon recounting Peacecraft's past...engagements, I must. So, where do you want me to start?"

Wufei knew his question very well. "Where can we find Milliard Peacecraft?"

The White Lighter blinked, a bit startled at the abruptness of the question, then recovered. "The Peacecraft villa is situated on top of the Hill of Shadows, within the vicinity of Shadowed Valley. Shadowed Valley, by the way, is where evil witches, warlocks, vampires--all evil creatures-- always flock to, because they feel safer there together with their own kind. The Hill of Shadows itself is the property of the Peacecrafts since time immemorial, and there they train themselves and their innumerable henchmen. At present, there are three Peacecrafts: the first one is their Clan Master, Milliard, the second one is his sister, the evil witch Relena, and the third one is the heir to the throne, who is up to now unknown and unnamed."

"Unknown and unnamed..." Heero murmured to himself.

Wufei nodded, processing Quatre's words. "This onna...Relena, isn't it? What power does she have?"

"Hai. We must know their strengths and weaknesses," Trowa agreed.

Quatre took a sip first from his teacup before answering. "Relena Peacecraft, approximately 110 to 120 years old, is, as I have just mentioned, Milliard Peacecraft's sister. Though she is the Clan Master's sister, she does not hold any authority over the Clan. The only powers that she has are, first, her voice. It is very destructive--and I mean destructive--to those who hear it. Even the softest whispers from her can elicit throbbing in a human being's hearing, and she can make her voice so loud and screechy that concrete cannot stand against her powerful voice. I have found that the villa undergoes an average of 104 repairs a year, and these are attributed only to the evil witches' voice. Her second power is that she can make her nails long and sharp like newly-sharpened knives. I believe that she is a formidable foe if she really has set her mind on fighting. Her enemies cannot touch her because of her voice, and they usually could not defend themselves once she starts screaming."

"Hn. I'm more interested in the Peacecraft's heir," Heero muttered.

The blue-eyed boy sighed. "The data that I have gathered about the Peacecraft heir is very miniscule, but still essential. I have heard that Milliard Peacecraft is the eight thousand, six hundred sixty-fifth Clan Master of the Peacecraft warlocks, which makes his heir the eight thousand, six hundred sixty-sixth Clan Master--"

"What about it?" Wufei asked, his interest piqued.

"Clan Masters that have three consecutive sixes in their order of rule as Clan Master are also called 'Stealer of Souls', because they inherit the power that can steal anyone's soul with only their will," Quatre intoned, blue eyes darkening with fear. "The Clan Master who is the Stealer of Souls has exceptional powers. If an ordinary Clan Master is the strongest of all warlocks, then the Stealer of Souls is much more powerful. Aside from being able to steal souls and feed on them, he also has other powers. I don't know about the Peacecraft heir, but I have heard of a Stealer of Souls back then, and he could easily control the minds of even the most powerful of witches."

"So does that mean that we don't stand a chance against this heir?" Trowa wondered, his green eyes concerned.

Quatre shook his head, ruffling his blond hair slightly. "No, that's not it. The Charmed Ones have a chance, but it's been a long time since the two powers have met and fought each other. In all the years, which is more powerful has never been fully tested."

"What do you mean...never been fully tested?" Trowa asked, confusion marring his features.

"One of the other must die in battle, Trowa."

A chill ran through Wufei's spine. Brushing the feeling off, he asked, one eyebrow raised, "Why are you so sure that we will face this Stealer of Souls? He's currently unknown and unnamed, as you have said, and he's missing. Is there any guarantee that he is alive and still existing up to this time?"

"He's alive, Wufei," the White Lighter whispered softly, almost to himself. "Milliard Peacecraft tried to have another heir in the past, after his son with Lucrezia Noin was taken away and was believed to be lost for good, but all his attempts failed. It could only mean that his heir is alive and well somewhere, because every Clan Master is only allowed to have one son to be the next Master. Besides," he paused, looking each of the Charmed Ones in the eye, "The Clan Master has presently scattered his most loyal and dutiful minions all over the world to search for his only son, and it won't take long for the real enemy to be unveiled."

The brothers were all struck silent for several minutes, none of them daring to move. Each of them was deep in thought, letting the full meaning of their guide's words sink into them. Finally, it was Heero who broke the quiet.

"Ninmu ryoukai. That Stealer of Souls warlock should be careful not to cross my path, or I *will* kill him."

Suddenly, there was a knock on their door. Puzzled as to who it must be, the Halliwells looked at each other quizzically, then Wufei said, "Trowa, open the door."

The green-eyed Halliwell stood up, then looked through the peephole. It was Dorothy Catalonia. /What is she doing here?/

Trowa opened the door, letting the blonde girl come inside their house.

Dorothy surveyed the scene that she had just dropped into, then smiled warmly as she saw Quatre. "Quatre! You're back!"

The equally blonde boy smiled in return. "Dorothy. What a pleasant surprise!"

The two hugged each other tightly, all the while exchanging greetings and sweet words. Clearly they had been more than friends to each other in the past, and this display made Trowa a little bit frustrated.

What's surprising was that, the eldest of the Halliwell brothers was feeling the same lines of frustration as his youngest brother, this time because of the sight of Quatre's palms over Dorothy's slim waist.

Heero, noticing his brothers' expressions, smirked. /This is going to be good.../

/What was that?/ Trowa snapped at him.

/Nothing./

There was no answer from Trowa.

"Milliard Peacecraft, huh?"

"Do you know anything about him, Dorothy?" Wufei asked.

The blond immortal smirked, then batted her eyelashes coyly at Wufei. "I know Millie-dear, Wufei, but I haven't talked to him for more than thirty years now."

His eyes widened before he stammered, "Th--thirty YEARS?!"

Dorothy giggled one of her girlish laughs, one she had practiced sometime in the 19th century, shamelessly flirting with the eldest Halliwell. "What? Women don't attract you?"

Quatre laughed at that, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "Doro-chan, you always know the best things to say." Then, to Wufei he said conspiratorially, "Don't listen to that old lady. Surviving hundreds of years after menopause can do that."

"Who are you calling old, Sultan Quatre Raberba Winner of 1750 A.D.?"

The White Lighter just smiled. "No need to deny things, Dorothy."

The Halliwells just looked on, speechless for some time now.

"Before I forget," Dorothy said as she rummaged in her bag, "I bought the latest [1]news disc on my way here." 

Relieved that they could focus on other matters, Heero said, "Good. Let's see it. I want to know what happened to other parts of the island."

The disc played, showing various clips of burned trees and rubble in the city.

"And now for the headline: Maxwell Church Massacre," the broadcast journalist announced.

"Massacre?" Quatre gasped.

"Two hundred people died at Maxwell Church earlier this afternoon, and one was reportedly missing, during the peak of the lightning storm. The police say that they did not see any sign of struggle or blood. The tragedy roused confusion in the police department, but they say that there is one survivor, and he will be held for questioning once found. Here is what Lieutenant Hawkins has to say..."

Lieutenant Hawkins: Unusual things happen in this place, but for the whole 47 years of my life I've never seen anything like this misfortune. We shall hope that we will uncover the mystery behind this with the help of the missing orphan... 

"Autopsy is currently being done on the bodies of the orphans, nuns, priests and lay ministers who were inside the church..." The voice of the newscaster droned on, but the Halliwells and their guests weren't listening anymore.

The White Lighter was clearly distressed, but when he glanced at Trowa, he felt more pain.

The beautiful emerald eyes that had so attracted him were listless; dead.

* * *

[1] news disc: I just thought that since it's 195 A.C. already, they'd be more advanced and not rely on printing press for news. Newspapers contribute considerably to pollution, so I thought by that time that people would've devised a way to lessen the pollution. ^__^

* * *

For the whole day the sky was dark, and if not for the antique clock that stood surprisingly intact, they wouldn't have known when dinner must be served.

"Mmm, that smells wonderful, Wufei," Dorothy said, complimenting him about his cooking.

Wufei felt his cheeks flushing again. "Uh...thanks."

"You know," she began, her blue eyes twinkling, "men who are good cooks are *always*a turn on."

"Really...?"

"Really," she purred in his ear.

Meanwhile...

"I'll help you with that, Trowa," Quatre said, reaching out for the stack of plates that the tall Halliwell was taking out of the cabinet.

Trowa acquiesced. "Thank you."

The two set the table in silence. After several minutes, the blond White Lighter broke the silence. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

The tall teenager didn't even look up.

Quatre sighed. He knew what the other boy was thinking. He was still disturbed about the news...about the massacre. There were video clips of the corpses, and Quatre had seen those types of corpses before.

/Eyes wide open, jaws slack...their souls were sucked out of them./

"I just can't forget the look on their faces," Trowa whispered, his green eyes distant. He was used to a normal life, if rather their surroundings bordered on the supernatural whenever uncanny things happen. Even if he really was affected by the hideous tragedy, he continued in monotone. "What could have caused such a thing to happen? It was horrible...200 people in a church..."

The White Lighter can feel the pain. It was bad enough that the Charmed Ones had to be slapped with the fact that they were witches, with the duty to protect the innocent and vanquish the guilty, that they had to be dragged out of their normal lives to live a life with such a heavy responsibility to the world. /And now they had to see their enemy's victims. I'm sure there would be more, and much, much more gruesome crimes by the warlock heir./

"What do you mean...warlock heir?" Trowa queried, eyes reflecting disbelief and...fear?

Quatre blinked. "What?" /Oh no. Why don't I shut my thoughts in?!/

The look in their White Lighter's clear blue eyes...it was then that realization hit Trowa like a baseball bat. "No..." the denial came out of his lips, sounding strangled. "No...that--can't--"

Blue eyes filled with tears of sorrow. He felt the pain of seeing wasted lives, and he was already hurting inside. He also felt Trowa's pain rather acutely. "The Stealer of Souls has decided to reveal himself to the world."

Heero closed the door of the dining room silently, where his brother and their White Lighter set up the table, and walked back to the living room.

/All those dead people...our enemy is responsible for that--that madness?/ he thought, disbelief and anger burning in his Prussian eyes. /How could we ever--?/

He was jolted out of his thoughts when an explosion took place. Shrapnel and bricks were borne into the air as Heero ducked for cover, his reflexes keeping him alive. Rocks and wood fell from above all around him.

He closed his eyes. /What could have happened? Has the enemy attacked us already? How could...?/

Suddenly there was a blow on his head, and searing pain throbbed at the back of his skull.

~The sun was shining bright, but its brightness was not glaring. It felt... somewhat peaceful, like everything was going right in the world. Heero basked in the sun's warmth, laughter bubbling forth as he relished the smell of the dewy grass beneath him.

There was another sound, too. Someone was with him, laughing as well. It sounded like music to him--no, it was more beautiful than any music that he had ever heard in his life. The laugh was husky, somewhat sweet and flirty and, yes, full of happiness. He turned around to greet the person who came near him with a smile.

The person smiled in return. It was a gentle smile, but for Heero it was stunning nonetheless. Violet eyes sparkled up at him as wisps of chestnut brown tendrils kissed the pretty heart-shaped face. He felt a delicious warmth inside him at the exquisite image before him. 

"I have something for you," he said.

The violet-eyed boy grinned, and threw him a wink. "Mm-hmm? What is it this time, Hee-chan?"

A glass jar materialized in his hands, and confined inside was a vibrant butterfly, fluttering restlessly against the clear walls of its prison.

"Hee-chan, this is beautiful!" the boy gasped. There was awe and appreciation in those violet depths, but Heero could read those eyes better than anything. "But?"

The boy grasped the jar reverently. "But it shouldn't be imprisoned like this, Hee-chan. It has to fly and make the world more wonderful with its presence."

"Aa. Like our love."

"Yes. Exactly."

"But it would die out there...the world is so big and--"

"It would still die anyway."

Heero shook his head. "Not like our love."

Violet eyes looked away. Then, the terrible doubt was voiced, "Are you sure about that, Hee-chan? As you've said, the world is so big and--"

"Iie," he gritted out, his cobalt blue eyes blazing in their intensity. "Don't think like that. Our love is forever. Forever. Do you understand?"

There were tears. /No. Don't cry, D--/ "Heero I don't think--"

"No. We *will* get past this. We'll just have to. I can't give you up--"

"Even if...?" there was a sliver of hope in those beautiful amethyst eyes of his lover.

"Yes. Even if--"

Suddenly the sun's comforting rays were gone, replaced by a glaring red orb in the sky, seemingly soaked with blood. Heero's eyes widened as black clouds swirled in the crimson sky. He felt a sudden chill in his bones.

/What's happening?/

The perfect world that they were in was shattered, and was blown to the putrid air by the mocking laugh that cut through his senses. He turned, and there, standing with him in the once-green knoll, was his violet-eyed lover, staring at him with evil eyes of ruby. 

"Even if I damn your soul into the deepest pit of hell?"

The jar fell out of his hands, and as the glass dropped on the dead earth, the lid came off, setting the butterfly free to roam.~

Heero woke up, sweating and panting as he came out of his dream state. /What was that all about? What--?/

"Heero. Don't move or you're going to pull the stitches," Wufei informed him.

He breathed deeply, feeling the throbbing in his head. "What happened?" he rasped.

There was silence for a time, then Trowa answered, "A mass of rock fell on your head a while earlier."

"What do you remember, Heero?" This time, it was Quatre. "The fireplace is in rubbles right now...well, in much more of a rubble now since it's blown up pretty badly."

"And burning coal rained in the living room, too. It was an exciting show, actually. I've never seen anything like it in years," Dorothy quipped.

"Onna," Wufei growled. "Urusai."

Dorothy just winked at him flirtatiously.

"How did...?"

"Well, Heero," Quatre began. "We think you blew up the fireplace."

"Kuso..."

It was so cold...

The teenager quivered in the streets as the snow kept on falling. He knew it wasn't supposed to snow at this time of the year, but these unusual things usually happen in Isla del Fuego--and he knew this very well. How many times had he been caught in piercing hailstorms during his earlier childhood? Countless of times he had been kept out of a shelter, opting for the minimal comfort of the dumps where bums and street brats died every single day. He had always known hunger, dirt, and lack of warmth...

/But not until they took me into their wing and treated me as their own./

He was so lost. /How could this have happened? How could the church be defiled that way?/ He was raging inside himself, and he wished to crush the throat of whoever dared to lay a hand on the children, on Father Maxwell and Sister Helen...

/I'm going to crush that bastard's throat under my heel, and that still wouldn't be enough for destroying my home./

Treize woke up with a start.

/My sons...Heero...Trowa.......no./

His azure eyes which were always calm, were now disturbed with fear and guilt.

/What have I done? They couldn't possibly be...no. Une would have told me if she knew...if she knew that they're--/

The old oak door opened, revealing his platinum-haired lover. "Treize? Come on dinner's ready. The servants prepared your favorite dish."

The ginger-haired man just nodded, trying desperately to calm his nerves. /Zechs mustn't know. He mustn't...or he will hunt my sons down and--/

"Treize?" Zechs came nearer, worry evident in his aquamarine eyes. "Is there something wrong, love?"

He just shook his head and opted for a lazy smile. "Nothing, Milli-koi," he teased.

That seemed to pacify the warlock master. "I have good news," Milli-koi said instead, pale eyes glinting an eerie burgundy for a second. "I think I'm getting closer to finding my son."

(end part 3. C&C please!)


	4. And the Sons Meet the Thief

Disclaimers: Gundam Wing is not mine. Charmed is owned by Spelling Production Group (uh...I think, but one of its producers is Aaron Spelling, so there) , Warner Brothers, and all associated parties. Magic and Mayhem is not mine. No copyright infringement intended. I am not making money out of this. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.  
Category: shounen ai/yaoi implications, AU, angst, action, dark themes  
Rating: R overall  
Pairings: 1x2x1, 3+4, 5xD(whoa don't hate me for this!), 6x13, 11+13, various  
Warnings: language, sap, violence, death  
Finished: October 1, 2000  
Author's Notes: This is a GW/Charmed fusion. I got majority of the storyline from Charmed, the characters from GW, a little Magic and Mayhem, and the Island of Fire bit from history. Wufei ain't Prue, Heero ain't Piper, and Trowa ain't Phoebe, although they're kinda alike in some ways, huh?  
Dedication: Thanks to my imouto Ryu, Ayako, Kristie, Jade & Elizabeth for their C&Cs and support.

/blah/ denotes thought, and telepathic conversation

*blah* denotes emphasis

~blah~ denotes dream sequence

Title: The Bewitched Chronicles, Entry #4: And the Sons Meet the Thief  
Author: AJ Maxwell ( webmaster@weluvduo.zzn.com )

~The jar dropped from Heero's slack hands as a fireball went hurtling towards him.

Barely saving himself from being a toasted witch, he dived for cover behind the nearest tree.

"I thought you loved me, Hee-chan," his lover taunted, a sneer distorting the face that he had fallen in love with. No, the face before him was that of his enemy's...but--

"You said you loved me, Hee-chan, even if I'm like this. Why are you cowering now?"

/Why are you cowering now?/

/Why are you cowering now?/~

Prussian blue eyes woke up to a dark room, illuminated only by the digital clock that announced 37 minutes past 3 in the morning. For a minute Heero thought that the light of the clock was red.

/What was that all about? Who was that boy? Why do I dream about him...why do I feel this pain, this sense of foreboding? Is something going to happen? Is this a sign?/

He sighed and got up from his bed. He knew that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. Might as well do something downstairs. /Maybe I'll cook something for breakfast, like a real breakfast for once. I think we all deserve it./

"Damn," Heero swore.

The cupboards were empty, save for a box of cereal he *knew* that wouldn't be enough for his eldest brother alone. The fridge was in a similar state, with only a bottle of orange juice and a carton of milk that was past the expiration date. They need to get some supplies soon, or they wouldn't have anything for breakfast.

It was already 4 in the morning.

/I wonder if groceries are open at this time...it would still be a miracle if they'd go on business, since everything's a wreck in this island./

Milliard Peacecraft sipped from his 1759 crystal goblet, savoring the taste of the 18th century.

/Soon any of my henchmen are going to report to me./

Noble fingers wrapped around a gold-lined remote control with an emblem of a serpent--customized for the one and only Clan Master--and pressed the rewind button to view the disc for the ninth time. Committing the utter beauty of the slaughter to mind, a ghost of a smile flitted over his lips.

/I've never managed to kill as much in my awakening...and yet...I'm willing to wager that my son hasn't even begun the real awakening. I shouldn't be impatient. Now that I'm certain that he will come back, father and son have all the time in the world.../

His mind drifted, going as far as the time when he fought the water witch, Lucrezia Noin.

/I wonder where you are...*Lulu*.../ At that taunting, scornful thought a soundless laugh went past Milliard's lips. /Too bad, so sad. Too much pride don't do well, especially with me involved. Now you're in hiding, and I am about to wrap my little fingers around my long lost son...the Stealer of Souls......my own little Shinigami, and you can't do anything. You'll be dead before you can do anything. I'll see to that./

The three brothers trudged along the dark alleyway, different expressions gracing their features. Wufei wore his omnipresent scowl while muttering about injustices and why Heero just had to be such an ass at 5 a.m. Heero wore his usual stoic expression, while Trowa walked on, his green eyes closed.

Suddenly with a look of pure irritation, Trowa spat out, "Urusai. I'm trying to sleep here."

Heero just snorted. He could sense another battle between the two.

"Don't reprimand me, Trowa," Wufei growled. "I'm older than--"

"Well you prize yourself for being older but why is it that you don't know when to shut up? Your incessant babbling will get us nowhere."

They have already entered the fluorescent-lighted 24-hour store, and the two brothers were just in their warm-up.

"Babbling! Kisama! Take back your words, baka, or I'll--"

"Or you'll what? I'm sick and tired of you telling me what to do."

Heero went for the dairy section, leaving the other two behind to argue. As he checked the expiration date of the milk, a familiar sight caught his eye.

/Wh--?/

A rope of chestnut brown braid.

He quickly whirled around to see the owner of that braid, the exact braid of the boy that tormented him for almost a week now since the storm.

/Gone./

It was then that Wufei and Trowa walked up next to him. Seeing the perpetrator of this grocery expedition in the wee of hours staring at nothing like some *idiot* just like a certain uni-banged person, the eldest Halliwell narrowed his eyes. "Get your head out of the clouds, Heero! We have to hurry I'm hungry!"

Trowa just stared. "I am not an idiot."

At that, Wufei glared. "Did I say anything?"

"You didn't *say* anything," Trowa breathed out, his lips in a tight line, "but I can hear your damn mental wailing." /Like a bitching woman,/ he added mentally, only for his eldest brother to hear.

Wufei sputtered, indignant at the comparison. "Like a bitching WHAT?!"

One emerald eye blinked innocently, the other hidden by a fall of hair, "Did I say anything?"

"KISAMA!! This is--"

As Heero walked further, the voices of his brothers faded. He was intent on finding out who the owner of the braid was, and he won't fail. Too many nights of dreams turned nightmares urged him to move on.

/Where could he possibly be?/

Amethyst eyes scanned the rows and rows of pastries.

/Is he gone? Why is that guy stalking me? Is he connected to the cops? Did he see me take anything? Man I have to get out of here fast!/

He made a quick turn to the right, and bumped against a taller body.

"Itai!"

A knock interrupted his musings.

Milliard raised an eyebrow. "Come in."

Aries, one of his Four Henchmen, walked in, his head bowed down in reverence to his Master.

"Do you have news that might interest me?" he drawled.

The henchman knelt down before him, head still bowed. "Master, I have detected another surge of power in the area of the city."

The Clan Master felt a flare of hope in his chest, but he quelled it. Instead, "Are you sure about this information, Aries? Or is this about the church massacre and you're just late in relaying the details to your Master, hm?"

"No, Master Milliard. I have obtained this information at exactly 15 minutes earlier."

"Alright, then. Spill."

"There was another carnage at an alley just beside the all-night gas station in the city, right across a bookstore which is beside a 24-hour grocery." 

At the description, a muscle in the Master's cheek twitched. He clamped down the compulsion of breaking the neck of his minion. "That is most helpful like a toothpick for a four-course meal, Aries," he gritted out. "Since there are a handful of all-night gas stations, several bookstores, and tens of 24-hour groceries in the city that are close by to each other." 

Aries didn't move.

Milliard raised his right hand, palm faced up. A second later there was a ball of fire swirling and forming in his hand, like a jewel of merging red, orange, and blue. "I'm too much in a good mood now, Aries. Tell me, before I give in to the temptation of burning you alive, the exact whereabouts of this 'carnage' that you are referring to."

"Itai!" he yelped. He looked up to find a boy his age, much taller, with green eyes.

"Gomen," the boy said softly, almost inaudible.

He just nodded, then walked hastily away.

Trowa followed the departing longhaired boy with his gaze, then, with a start, his eyes widened a little.

/That--I've seen him before...I've seen him in Heero's dreams./

"Relena, we're going out for a drive," Milliard Peacecraft said as he entered his sister's room without knocking.

The blond witch stirred from her pink four-poster bed.

"Get your things ready. We're going to look for my son."

At that, Relena opened her eyes. "Your son...my nephew?"

Milliard smothered a snort. He wasn't sure if his sister was truly out of it upon just waking up, or if his sister was *always* out of it. He sighed. He's still quite fond of her, though, and regarding where her loyalties lie, well, she's the one that he could fully trust.

Except for Treize, of course.

/Of course./

/Where did he go? I'm sure he went this way,/ Heero thought.

/Are you looking for a guy with a long braid, Heero? I saw him go this way,/ a voice said, in his mind.

Heero was a little startled, still quite unaccustomed to having his youngest brother barge in in his private thoughts. /Thanks./

Running up the aisles, he scanned the rows of junk food. Spotting the end of a braid disappearing at the far end, he made a swift turn and ran. 

/Dammit! Why's he on my case, the jerk! Maybe I should just stop and ask the bastard why he's following me...or maybe not. I don't want to get caught...keep going...I have to live.../

/I have to live.../ the thought echoed inside of him, though he wasn't sure if there was still something worth living for.

Heero ran at full speed.

He had long since dropped his assorted food articles in favor of catching up with his target. /Let those idiots pick up what we need....there!/

Just in time, he spotted the black-clad boy quickly making his way out of the glass doors.

"Hey wait!"

The boy didn't look back.

The Prussian-eyed Halliwell hurried out of the grocery, scanning frantically for the boy with the long rope of hair. Not caring to notice, he didn't see that he was about to collide into two people, until too late.

"Ouch! Look where you're going!" a high, screechy voice exclaimed.

For several moments all Heero was aware of was the pounding in his head, and the ringing sound in his ears.

/What...?/

"Look at what you did, Relena. We're quickly losing the signals. Hurry!"

He was barely aware of the footsteps scurrying away. All he could think about was the pain in his head, and the overwhelming impulse to just fall down and faint.

An odd feeling nagged at him to gather his senses. He felt a shiver of cold that had nothing to do with the temperature, and a queer crawling sensation on his skin. The crawly things made him want to vomit right then and there, when suddenly Quatre appeared, bathed in a pulsing blue light.

"Heero. We have to get out of here. It's not yet time."

"You shouldn't have opened your mouth, Relena," the Master groused. "You've just messed up with the monitoring, and *now* we're getting mixed signals from different places since your power continues to bounce off and scatter. How are we going to find him at this rate?"

"I'm sorry, brother," Relena whispered, taking note that she was able to control her power this time. "If that boy didn't crash into us then I wouldn't have reacted." /...and such a handsome boy, I might add./

After a few minutes of walking and sensing their quarry, the two came to a dark, reeking alleyway.

Relena, who miraculously didn't mind the stink, breathed in deeper, trying to pinpoint what the smell was, while Milliard adjusted his eyes to the lack of light.

The two discovered the same thing at the same time, and their discovery elicited triumphant laughter.

"I can't wait to meet my nephew, my dear brother. I could learn some tips from him," Relena purred.

There, the alley too dark for mortal eyes to see, lay twenty reeking bodies, all of them lifeless and rapidly becoming cold.

Eyes, wide and blank, and mouths frozen in a twisted O.

"He couldn't have gotten very far. Let's go, Relena."

Quatre settled Heero at the wall of the grocery, while he teleported himself to where Wufei and Trowa were.

He found the two bickering at the cashier.

"You didn't *have* to buy an extra block of cheese, and you didn't *have* to buy Earl Grey tea!" Wufei half-shouted. "We *don't* drink Earl Grey tea! We just *don't*, so why the hell did you get it from the shelf?!"

"Well you didn't *have* to buy another 3 extra boxes of cereal, *brother*. If it weren't for your bottomless pit of a stomach, then we wouldn't be faced with such a problem here."

The girl sitting before the cash register yawned. "Hey, are you two going to pay up, or should I call the police?"

"Excuse me," Quatre said, smiling angelically at the girl, "I know these two. What seems to be the problem?"

"They're short of 15 credits."

The blond boy produced 15 credits, though how he did was unknown to anyone. White Lighters weren't human anymore, and so they had no need for things like money.

Wufei and Trowa stood in silence.

After paying, Quatre gestured to the grocery bags. "We have to get going, and quick. There's trouble. I'll tell you when we get to the manor."

They found Heero slumped against a wall, breathing ragged and eyes closed.

Wufei's eyes narrowed. "What happened to him?"

"I'll tell you when we get home. We have to hurry," was all Quatre said.

"You carry this, Quatre. I'll take care of Heero. He's not as light as he looks like," Wufei said.

As the four boys trudged home, a pair of violet eyes followed them behind a parked car on the side of the road.

/That guy...what happened to him? He was chasing me earlier, and now he's...? What happened to him? He can't even support himself now. Is this my fault again? No, please no this can't be my doing again. It's bad enough that I...what *did* I do again? Why is it that I can't remember things? I know they're important, but.../

There was a nagging voice at the back of his mind, but it was only loud enough to be noticed, not to be actually heard and understood. He knew that he's supposed to be remembering something very important, but when the thought was already on the tip of his consciousness, his mind would draw another blank.

He looked at the boy again, the one that chased him all over the grocery store. Now that he's thought of it, the boy looked familiar to him--achingly familiar, in fact. There was something in the unruly brown hair and the Prussian blue eyes that called to him. He squinted in the dark, wishing for a better view of his former stalker, when there was something that caught his eyes just a little to the right. Dragging his eyes away from the boy for just a moment, there he saw two women, the other tall with platinum blond hair, and the shorter girl had dark blond hair, shrouded in the shadows of the narrow alley that they were in.

/What would two ladies do in such a place at an hour like this? Aren't they aware of the dangers?/

It was then that the taller woman turned, and from the way the woman moved he knew that the woman was really a guy. He shook his head to clear it, then crouched even lower so that he won't be discovered.

Cold sweat broke from his forehead, dampening his already sweaty chestnut brown bangs. Something about those two called to him as well, but there was a part of him that strongly warned him to be as far from them as possible. Somehow, he knew that the two were dangerous.

He just didn't know *how* dangerous.

Little did the boy in the shadows know that he wasn't really alone in his private thoughts.

Trowa Halliwell looked thoughtful for a few moments, his emerald eyes seeking the obscured shadow of the boy behind the parked car. /There's something...different about him. Should I tell Quatre about him later?/

At the Halliwell manor...

Wufei poured his favorite cereal into his bowl and drenched it with milk. "You were going to tell us something, right, Quatre?"

Quatre nodded, blue eyes round as he looked at Wufei's bowl in wonderment. /That must be like...more than half of the box. Just *how* does he do that?/

He paused, his cereal-filled spoon halfway to his mouth, "So what is it already?"

The blonde White Lighter cleared his throat first, then proceeded the way he would have addressed any situation: head on. "Heero had just encountered Milliard and Relena Peacecraft."

Wufei's eyes bulged in their sockets as he spewed half-chewed cornflakes on Quatre's vest and pink shirt.

Trowa just stared as if nothing happened.

"W-WHAT?!" the eldest Halliwell sputtered. Did he just hear it right? Peacecraft?

Quatre, on the other hand, was trying his best not to wince. /My shirt, my shirt! My favorite pink shirt! Oh what woe--!/

Trowa handed him a kitchen towel. "Here."

"Did you just say Peacecraft?!" Wufei continued ranting, oblivious to the distress he caused their blond guide. "Where? When?! Why wasn't I alerted to this? Why--"

As he kept on ranting, the youngest Halliwell was helping Quatre get out the stains on his vest and shirt.

"It's a good thing he didn't pour the rest of the chocolate sauce on his breakfast, too, or this would have stained very badly," Trowa commented as he dabbed the pink fabric with a clean napkin.

Quatre just shook his head, brushing off the food particles on his vest disgustedly. "You can say that, but I feel dirty already. I think I'll have to change first--"

"Why don't you borrow one of my shirts for a while?" Trowa offered. "Besides, Wufei wouldn't really be able to function without finishing his breakfast first, and it's better to discuss these things with Heero around, since he was the one involved."

The blond just nodded, and the two left Wufei to his food.

Relena stomped into her chambers, then slammed the door as she closed it. "Brother is always annoyed with me," she griped, pouting at everything in her room. "It wasn't really my fault that we lost nephew-dear. How was I to know that we were going to bump into someone? The two of us would never have anticipated anyone shopping at that time!" she exclaimed, walking back and forth in her room.

Sighting her hot pink couch, she plunked herself to sit, brat-like. "He was cute, though. *Very* cute," she giggled to herself. "I wonder if brother would miss me if I'd be gone for a few days?"

(Hmm. Smell anything...interesting?)


	5. Echoes of Pain

Disclaimers: Gundam Wing is not mine. Charmed is owned by Spelling Production Group (uh...I think, but one of its producers is Aaron Spelling, so there) , Warner Brothers, and all associated parties. Magic and Mayhem is not mine. No copyright infringement intended. I am not making money out of this. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.  
Category: shounen ai/yaoi implications, AU, angst, action, dark themes  
Rating: R overall  
Pairings: 1x2x1, 3+4, 5xD(whoa don't hate me for this!), 6x13, 11+13, various  
Warnings: language, sap, violence, death  
Finished: October 29, 2000  
Author's Notes: This is a GW/Charmed fusion. I got majority of the storyline from Charmed, the characters from GW, a little Magic and Mayhem, and the Island of Fire bit from history. Wufei ain't Prue, Heero ain't Piper, and Trowa ain't Phoebe, although they're kinda alike in some ways, huh?  
Dedication: Thanks to my imouto Ryu, Elizabeth, Kristie, Sai-kun, and Ayako for their C&Cs and support.

/blah/ denotes thought, and telepathic conversation

*blah* denotes emphasis

~blah~ denotes dream sequence

Title: The Bewitched Chronicles, Entry #5: Echoes of Pain  
Author: AJ Maxwell ( webmaster@weluvduo.zzn.com )

Heero opened the door slowly, being very careful not to make any sound that might alert his brothers. They have actually thought it would be a good idea to keep an eye on him ever since he tried to go out and look for that boy. Ch. They were so scared of facing off with those Peacecrafts that they even decided that each one of them had to have someone with him when going out of the house. He couldn't really fault them for that. He understood their enemy's strengths, and he knew their own weaknesses. It would be dangerous for them to get into an encounter at this early stage. They haven't really trained in using their gifts, and if the time comes when they have to face the Peacecrafts, it would be preferable to be at least at par with their enemy.

/But they can't keep me here like some caged animal. I have to find *him*. They don't want me to go looking for him, and they won't go with me. Might as well go out and look for him myself./

His experience was not so nice, however, since he had to spend 3 days in drifting consciousness because of the severe headache that he had. Damn shrieking, but he still had to find that boy. Upon finding him, he might also discover answers to his questions.

/I dream of him even if I'm awake. Why is this so? In some dreams it is obvious that it happened in the past, and in some it seemed as if they happened in this present time. Should I ask Quatre about this?/

He closed the varnished door again and walked very carefully, his footsteps a mere whisper on the wood, avoiding the creaking floorboards so as not to be found out. When he reached the bottom of the winding stairs, he heard noises in the kitchen where he was now sure that the other three were having a discussion.

/Good. They wouldn't know 'til much later that I've gone./

With a final look at where the voices of his brothers came from, Heero Halliwell went out for his search.

Relena Peacecraft paced her pink chambers restlessly. She stomped her foot. "I am so bored in this villa! There's nothing to do!"

The crystal chandelier above her exploded, pieces of jagged glass raining down on her in sparkling pinpricks.

Ignoring the mess and the cuts on her face, she paced again, her toe snagging occasionally on the creases of her pink carpet. /I should tell brother to change these carpets later.../ she thought absently, /...and that stupid chandelier./

The blond witch paced a few minutes more, then she heard familiar noises above her room. She scowled.

"I have nothing to do and my brother and his pet are doing it *again*! How fair is that?!" she shrieked.

The set of antique vases on her left shattered.

Stomping out of the room, a plot formed in her mind. She smiled evilly. /Maybe I should look for my own pet. I just have the perfect person in mind./

Grief-stricken violet eyes mourned for his home for the last 16 years. The church now lay in rubbles; its beautiful stone walls that had stood for more than two centuries now had fallen to the once green landscape. Everything was burned, and everything was gone. They were all dead, save for him.

/It was raining thunder and fire that day. I don't know which was more dominant, but everything was in chaos. The children were scared and Sister Helen was trying her best to calm them down. I was cleaning the chalices and the ciborium for the mass...I wasn't even sure if anyone would go to mass that day, since the weather was really nasty and Father Maxwell was also nervous about what was happening. I knew that what was happening was very unusual, but it seemed...it seemed as if something was calling me. I don't know why, or how, but I felt it.

/I felt a stirring inside me that I knew existed, even back then. I think I'd known that it existed inside me when Sister Helen taught me how to pray. I couldn't bring myself to say the words, as if there was something that bound me. There was also a part of me that *pleaded* for me to say the words--to learn what was being taught to me, and to believe it...

/I believe it, don't I? I believe what Sister Helen and Father Maxwell had instilled in me ever since I could remember. I believe it; I do. I do! I believe that--that--/

A woman's voice, a voice that he had never heard before in his entire life, but sounded truly familiar interrupted his sorrow. It beckoned to him to seek it out and know its source. It somehow felt...comforting, like family. But the loudness and the hateful sound of the screaming also annoyed him. His other side rising and getting the better of him, the Stealer of Souls once again resurfaced.

Heero Halliwell walked purposefully around the city. /Where could he possibly be? I've checked the vicinity of the grocery store and the alleys close to it, but I still have no idea where he is./

He walked a few more hours, now aimlessly, just hoping that he could catch a glimpse of the boy that haunted him. He drifted further from the heart of the city. Several minutes later, he came upon what resembled an old church building.

It was destroyed, its walls crumbled, littering the burnt patch of ground beneath it. He recognized it as the Maxwell Church in the news. /So this is what it really looks like. How come no one has come here to fix it or clean up the mess?/

He turned around, heading back for the direction he came from, when a voice halted him dead in his tracks.

"So, I see you here, in this ruined place of...'god'," the voice pronounced, tone mocking at the word 'god'.

He winced inwardly. He knew the voice. /I should have stayed home. Wufei is going to kill me when he finds out about this./

Relena Peacecraft came nearer, trying to walk seductively in her hot pink 5-inch high heels, and failed. She stumbled on a pipe that was sticking out from the rubble, twisting her ankle. She shrieked in pain, cursing and calling all the names of her ancestors that all burned in hell.

The torrent of words that the evil witch had unleashed crashed into Heero, the sheer volume and piercing quality of the Peacecraft witch's voice brought back the pounding headache that he had to sleep off for 3 days, and much more. He visibly winced as he covered his ears with his hands. /Should I freeze her? But if I do she might know that I have powers and she'll really kill me. I'm going to die without an equal fight. Trowa, hear me now, please.../

"Your cacophony is very displeasing," came a new, intimidating voice.

Heero quickly turned to find the boy he had been searching for. His heart skipped a beat.

"Who dares to insult me?" Relena growled, blue eyes flashing dangerously.

Evil burgundy eyes surveyed the pink and dark blond witch mockingly. A husky chuckle came forth. "Don't you know?"

Relena Peacecraft had seen those eyes...her brother! /But this cannot be the one. No! This...*rat* can *not* be the one! He cannot be the Stealer of Souls!/ "Why should I?" she hissed, her lips tightening into a thin line. /No one interferes with my plans!/

The smile was gone, and no trace of sardonic mirth could be seen. At this, Relena shivered, but she stubbornly, stupidly stood her ground. She failed to recognize the only person that she should be afraid of more than of her brother. As she prepared her attack, inhaling carefully and centering the air in her chest, the wind took on an almost menacing quality. Its cold fingers did not caress; it made whatever in its path shake uncontrollably. Relena shook like she had never before. She was afraid, but still stupid enough to admit it.

The Stealer of Souls was presented the opportunity to reveal that he was indeed above pride in a golden platter.

The wind blowing against them untied the simple black string that held the Stealer of Souls' chestnut brown locks, unraveling his convenient braid into a curtain of honey that whipped around him. His red stare drilled into her eyes, right through her black soul. She was already gone and she hadn't known it yet.

Meanwhile, the Halliwell witch performed the role of being the spectator in the little showdown between two of the same force. He was fascinated by the boy he had been looking for, and he was somewhat lured by the power that emanated from the boy's being. He wanted to take another step, but he knew that to do anything at that very moment would most likely cost him his life. So he waited, and as the wind blew past him, miraculously, he fell asleep.

"You puny little witch *dare* to mock my presence," the boy intoned calmly, his lips carefully forming the words. "I see with your eyes, and I see what you hold against me," he said. Raising his right arm in front of him, directly across from his chest, his eyes narrowed and burned. "No one wishes my death and lives another minute."

Huge balls of fire shot straight to the shivering mass that was Relena Peacecraft. The flames consumed her, setting her hair and her clothes afire. She screamed, but anything and everything that she did then was futile. The fire kept coming, never ceasing, and it surrounded her along with the boy's husky laughter of triumph and pleasure.

"Yes, that's it. Writhe. Scream. Die, you miserable witch. You do not deserve to be part of my banquet."

She screamed again for her brother to save her, for anyone to save her, but no one came. No one heard but her greatest adversary, and he was not yet finished.

Her body literally ablaze, she heard it first before she felt the crack of lightning course through her, but she was dying at last. She could not survive any longer, even with her almost immortal form. The Stealer of Souls' fire was too great for her to overpower.

She was losing, and it was then that the torture stopped. Or so she thought.

Body burned to nothingness, and soul stolen.

A small smile flitted over the boy's lips as he studied the new toy that he had acquired. Deciding that he did not really want it after all, his fingers tightened around it. It vanished, letting out one final scream into the eternity that it was not granted.

He was satisfied.

(end part 5)


	6. The Witch and the Warlock

Disclaimers: Gundam Wing is not mine. Charmed is owned by Spelling Production Group (uh...I think, but one of its producers is Aaron Spelling, so there) , Warner Brothers, and all associated parties. Magic and Mayhem is not mine. No copyright infringement intended. I am not making money out of this. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.  
Category: shounen ai/yaoi implications, AU, angst, action, dark themes  
Rating: R overall  
Pairings: 1x2x1, 3+4, 5xD(whoa don't hate me for this!), 6x13, 11+13, various  
Warnings: language, sap, violence, death  
Finished: November 26, 2000  
Author's Notes: This is a GW/Charmed fusion. I got majority of the storyline from Charmed, the characters from GW, a little Magic and Mayhem, and the Island of Fire bit from history. Wufei ain't Prue, Heero ain't Piper, and Trowa ain't Phoebe, although they're kinda alike in some ways, huh?  
Dedication: Thanks to my imouto Ryu, Elizabeth, Kristie, Sai-kun, and Ayako for their C&Cs and support.

/blah/ denotes thought, and telepathic conversation

*blah* denotes emphasis

~blah~ denotes dream sequence

Title: The Bewitched Chronicles, Entry #6: The Witch and the Warlock  
Author: AJ Maxwell ( webmaster@weluvduo.zzn.com )

The first thing that Heero heard was the chirping of birds, and then he felt the gentle touch of the breeze ruffle his hair even more. Next he felt the excruciating pain in his head, as if giant tweezers were squeezing it from the inside. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt so heavy, and maybe he didn't really want to wake up after all.

/Maybe I'll sleep a little more while.../

He was slowly falling into light slumber when he felt tender hands on him, and then that voice... 

"Uhm, excuse me? Are you alright? I was just walking by and I found you lying there and I thought you might need help there's no one here what happened to you? It must have been terrible you don't look very well..."

Heero Halliwell knew then the sound of angels singing. It was pure heaven. He also found out one thing: the voice wouldn't stop. A small smirk was finding its way on his lips. Mindless of his pain, he slowly opened his eyes.

His vision was a little blurry at first, but when he blinked a few times to see better...there.

The vision smiled in relief. "Hello. Are you alright? Can you stand up?"

Large amethystine eyes, upturned nose and heart-shaped face. So this was his angel, with a gorgeous mass of chestnut brown hair.

Unwittingly, Heero smiled at the sight.

The vision blinked, then laughed huskily.

Heero laughed as well, Prussian blue eyes still pinned on the girl-- /Girl?!/ he thought. He listened more carefully at the voice, and then his eyes roamed downwards, noting the flat chest. He sighed in relief. /It's really him, after all./

"You must be well enough to be so happy," the boy mused. "Here," offering his hand, "I'll help you up."

He tried to get up, holding the other boy's hand for support, but his headache got the better of him. With an unnoticeable wince, he lay back down. "I can't."

"Of course you can," the boy chided, violet eyes glinting with worry. "I'll help you."

The two tried to get up from the rubble, but it was then that Heero passed out from the pain.

He didn't know what to do. The boy just passed out, and he had no clue how to help. No one frequented the area after the massacre, and the roads were closed...

"Damn," he cursed, and then winced right after. It was a habit of his when he uttered something that he knew Father Maxwell disapproved of. "How can I just abandon him here?" he said. Looking closely, the boy seemed familiar, sort of...

/He was smiling earlier...his eyes--I think I've seen him before. At the church during service? Or...wait--/

The vision was imprinted in his mind, in his consciousness. Messy dark brown hair that fell over blue eyes...breathtaking Prussian blue. He wasn't aware that he wasn't breathing anymore; too lost in the recollection of a past long buried...

His eyelids drooped shut, millimeter by millimeter. Curiously, sleep was overcoming him, and as his vision was fully encased in black, his form fell forward, landing on top of Heero.

The star-cross'd lovers.

~~~~~~~~~~

Dominique Halliwell looked around her amid the contorted shadows of the park's gloom. Her chestnut braid swung behind her as she ran frantically, if still soundlessly, to the rendezvous point.

She had to see Hale for the last time.

She knew that if her sisters and cousin found out about her affair with the warlock that they were supposed to vanquish the following night, she will most probably be shunned from the clan for not choosing steadfastly between her love and the safety of mankind. Sprung from the line of Piper Halliwell, she was the youngest of the witches, and her older cousins saw her as irresponsible and impulsive. They said that she might bring their end--they might even be right, but at that moment all she knew was that she needed to see her love one last time, and make the sacrifice that would be equal to damning her own soul to hell--maybe even worse.

"Nicki?" A warm, tight embrace. It felt like coming home to her, and all her worries and fears lifted as she basked in the love that emanated from Hale's being. He might have the dark power within him, but she knew in her heart that there was love for her in those Prussian depths.

"Hale, I'm sorry I got a little late," she whispered. "They--they were watching me...I--"

"Sshh," he hushed her as his roughened fingers sifted through the silky tip of her braid. "It's alright. You're here already."

Dominique tightened her arms around Hale's neck, pulling him closer for a kiss. Their lips met, both dry in the night's chill, but it was just like their first kiss, and all of their other kisses.

Lights. Explosions. Stars.

She moaned as their tongues touched, tendrils of fire that caressed their very spirits, joined once again in that starless, moonless night. She tiptoed, the leather of her boots wrinkling, and Hale's hands went from cupping the back of her sweet head down to her firm, round rear to hold her closer. His lips trailed her jaw, whispering into her ear, "I love you so much I can die here right now."

She swallowed, her violet eyes searching for his blue ones. "Don't say that. Please don't say that."

Hale shook his head. "I know what you've all been planning, Nicki, and I know that vanquishing us is inevitable. It's what you're born here for, and I completely understand that." He kissed her once again, his mouth worshipping her heart-shaped face that was beyond beautiful. "I can't ask for a better way to be redeemed than to die by your hands, Nicki."

She was about to protest, but he held his index finger against her lips. "I have done things that I wouldn't want for you to know, and I wouldn't want you to witness those kind of things in the future years of your life. I regret having done them, because I know for sure that even in the future, I might not even be granted the joy of one glimpse of you. That would be worse than hell, Nicki, to not see you and be with you, and--"

"Hale, please," she pleaded. A tear slid down her cheek, and Hale wiped it away gently, bringing it to his lips. "We both know that it has to be done, and we're both hurting because of it." She ran her fingers through his unruly hair once more, this time with more desperation, but still hoping against hope that it would not be the last time. "Hale, I love you so much and I will do everything that I can just so you can be released from what you have done. I will do everything, Hale. I will--"

"What are you talking about--everything?" He was confused, and very frightened. He didn't want Dominique to interfere with what the Fates wanted. "Nicki, just let things go on its course. I am destined to be killed by you--we both know that!"

"No!" she shook her head, determination clearly etched in her voice and in her eyes. "I have found a way, Hale," she reassured both him and herself. She knew that she would pay a high price for what she wanted--for what they both *needed* with all their souls, but she was willing to do it. "We will see each other again. I've seen to that."

A creeping sensation haunted Hale as realization slowly dawned on him. "No," he gasped, his hold on Dominique loosening. He shook his head in disbelief as he cried out hoarsely, "You didn't sell your soul to the devil, did you?!"

Dominique shook her head, and Hale was almost relieved. Hesitantly, he asked. He just needed to know. "What did you do?"

~~~~~~~~~~

Violet eyes opened simultaneously as Prussian ones. Realizing where he was and on whom he was lying on, the longhaired boy quickly got up. He noticed that the other boy was in pain, and asked, "Are you alright?"

The shorthaired stranger shook his head as he gasped a breathless "Hai", still wincing from the pain.

He snorted. "What's hurting?"

When the other boy's hands went to his head, trying to squeeze and overwhelm the pain, he quickly held back those hands and said soothingly, "Don't worry. I'll take care of it, okay?"

He held the stranger in his arms, trying to comfort, when suddenly an awareness so foreign and yet so familiar seized him. A calm breeze wafted over them and he closed his eyes. Soft and loving hands moved over the other boy's head, then a great feeling surfaced from his whole being, touching and suffusing the very soul of the one he was holding.

The feeling was not truly unfamiliar. He had felt it before, but he wasn't too sure of what it exactly was.

It was a kind of love. That's all he knew.

Heero grasped frantically at the fleeing tendrils of the dream with his subconscious. He just needed to know...*needed* to know! He nearly cried out as he was suddenly awake, and he could not bear the pounding in his head any longer. The boy asked if he was alright, and he shook his head automatically, willing for the pain to just go away. He grimaced some more as he heard the mild irritation in the other's voice; he never wished to annoy the boy in any way.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it, okay?"

He felt himself being held in strong and comforting arms. Heero had never felt so serene and so contented in his whole life. Then he felt the other's hands around his aching head, and it was in that instant that he was filled with a feeling so raw, so rare, so beautiful, so alien and familiar at the same time. 

A name from long ago tried to make its way to his lips, but it did not remind him of quite the same kind of feeling that he was feeling right then. 

He opened his eyes after a while, and there was something that he noticed.

The pain was gone.

The moment passed for him, and as he mourned for the wonderful feeling that was slowly leaving him--but not leaving him altogether--he felt the boy in his arms stir.

He opened his eyes, and found curious, yet burning Prussian eyes staring intently into his own.

"What happened?" was all he said.

There was a full minute of silence, with just the two of them frozen in their position, eyes looking into each other's eyes. Finally, the shorthaired boy asked, "Who are you?"

He blinked. The question was perfectly normal and he knew the answer to it, but for a moment he wasn't sure of what to say. It was as if the stranger was asking him something else.

Clearing his throat, he answered the question. "Duo. I'm Duo Maxwell."

"Duo. I'm Duo Maxwell."

For some reason, that made Heero Halliwell smile. Perhaps it was because he finally knew the name of the boy that starred in his dreams every sleeping moment and every waking hour.

"I'm Heero," he said, still staring into those violet eyes.

The boy nodded slowly, and smiled cheekily. "Do you feel better?"

"Hai."

"Good. I mean, that's great."

Heero nodded. There was a nagging part of him that screamed for him to remember something important, something that had happened a while back and he must remember, or he will be in danger.

/He's so.../

He didn't finish the thought. All he saw were those lovely amethyst eyes, and that smiling mouth, and then he was kissing him.

Heero was kissing Duo. It was one of his firsts, and hopefully one of Duo's as well.

Dreamlike, he closed his eyes and succumbed to the longing to make his dreams be real. Right then, his dreams had come true, and he had never felt so complete.

It was real, and it was magical.

/...perfect./

Wide-eyed, Duo stared at Heero, shocked. He couldn't move his limbs to get away, and then Heero wrapped his arms around him.

/What--what the...? What the--?/

He felt Heero's tongue trying to get into his mouth, gently coaxing him to open up, but he wouldn't have it! This had gone too far...

Duo was screaming inside. /This wasn't supposed to happen!/ Finally, he gathered all the strength that he could manage in that moment, and pushed Heero away from him.

There was confusion in Heero's blue eyes, and a tinge of hurt. "Duo?"

He quickly stood up and turned to walk away; his eyes glinted the barest shade of red.

"Duo."

He turned again, throwing Heero a look. This time, his violet eyes were apologetic. "Not this time, Heero," he whispered.

Then he walked away without a backward glance.

(end part 6)


	7. The Test of the Eldest Charmed One

Disclaimers: Gundam Wing is not mine. Charmed is owned by Warner Brothers, and all associated parties. Magic and Mayhem is not mine. No copyright infringement intended. I am not making money out of this. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.  
Category: shounen ai/yaoi implications, AU, angst, action, dark themes  
Rating: R overall  
Pairings: 1x2x1, 34, 5xD, 6x13, 1113, various  
Warnings: language, sap, violence  
Finished: July 5, 2004  
Author's Notes: It's been so long since I updated this. I mainly got stuck when I was watching Cole/Phoebe thing on Charmed, because of all the demon facts that added and clashed with my previous outline for this fanfic. I had a _really _hard time deciding whether to follow the TV series' facts or just invent my own, and then I got stumped by other fics for other fandoms. It's been a long time, but I've _finally _decided that even if I based the setting on Charmed, I'm going to make up everything else from hereon forward (when it comes to the demon/warlock bits, at least). Needless to say, I fully intend to finish this fic. Thank you for reading this, and for those of you who reviewed the previous chapters,_ domo arigato gozaimasu. _

And I couldn't possibly plagiarize my own fanfic, but if someone wonders why this is not posted at _AJ Maxwell's Fanfic Realm_ ( http:kiss.to/duo ), I am currently renovating that site because I haven't touched it for more than a year.

I _am_ the real AJ Maxwell, the one and only. I'm still alive, okay! If you have any questions about any of my previous fanfics (those that are still unfinished and those that await a sequel), please send me an e-mail if you'd like me to continue them. I am in the process of scrapping some of the unfinished multipart fics.

Dedication: For Ryu, my imouto-chan, and Menz-chan.

/blah/ denotes telepathic conversation

blah denotes dream sequence

Title: The Bewitched Chronicles, Entry #7: The Test of the Eldest Charmed One  
Author: AJ Maxwell ( ajmaxwellficrealmyahoo.com )

Weeks passed. Laden with their responsibilities from school, from keeping their household in order, and from their newly discovered heritage, it was just a great blessing that the three brothers had their White Lighter, Quatre, to help them out. And with the ever-hovering threat of Milliardo Peacecraft's presence in the same island, the atmosphere in the manor had never been the same since.

The boys practiced their gifts in the afternoons for a few hours, and devoted at least an hour in doing their homeworks. Though cooking and doing household chores were not in a White Lighter's job description, Quatre found himself helping the brothers in these areas, with the help of their immortal friend, Dorothy Catalonia.

◊

It was after dinner that the boys were found by Quatre in the attic room, poring over the Book of Shadows, taking notes of the spells and potion ingredients, and practicing their gifts. Hilde, the Charmed Ones' cursed cousin, sat attentively before Trowa, as the youngest Halliwell communicated with her using his gift of reading minds. Wufei stood before the Book of Shadows, perusing the text about the history of the most powerful warlock family, the Peacecrafts. Heero, meanwhile, was by the cupboards making an inventory of the potion ingredients, which he planned on relocating into the kitchen for convenience purposes.

Quatre sighed. He found his charges all dedicated to being wizards, but he feared that he could only hope--not trust--that their abilities were enough to vanquish the threat of Milliardo Peacecraft's heir, and this thought he kept properly sealed within himself.

◊

Wufei collapsed into his bed as he pulled the hair tie that bound his hair. Normally he would change into his perfectly pressed pajamas, fold his used clothing and put it in his own laundry hamper beside his bedroom door. After that he would sit by his dresser/study table, pull his hair tie and keep it in the top drawer, and then he would comb his hair. Then he would climb into his bed, carefully lifting up the covers for him to neatly and comfortably lie down. It was uncharacteristic of him to just hurl himself to the bed like that, really, and he knew that. It was just...

"Mother," he mumbled, nearly gasping for air from weariness. He didn't know if his words could reach their mother, and he wasn't really sure if he wanted them to reach her. "I don't know if I can take any more of this. I know you expect me to be strong, to be a good example to my brothers. I'm trying, I'm really trying my best, Mother. But..." He bit his lip, remembering the more frequent news of unexplained deaths, undoubtedly caused by their feared nemesis, the Warlock Heir. "But I'm scared," he whispered into his pillow. "I'm scared that all of this would be to no avail. I'm scared that I would let my brothers down. I'm scared that I would let you down, Mother, and what would that make me? I don't want to let you down. I don't want to let my brothers down, like what Father did. No... no he doesn't deserve to be called that." He shook his head, as he buried his face into his pillow. "He is not our father, has never been! And I won't be like him! Never!"

His fists hit the pillows, whispering vehemently, biting his lower lip so that no one would hear the anguish in his voice.

On one side of his walls, Trowa lay on his side, emerald eyes open. A lone tear traced a path down his cheeks.

◊

The morning that greeted the Island of Fire was not a usual one compared to the previous mornings that the people have endured for the past several weeks. The sky was clear, and the sun bright in shining--a promise of snow-free, hail-free, and rain-free weather. Although clear skies never stopped sudden disturbing occurrences, such as snow during summer, that particular morning just sent an unexplained feeling that nothing awry was going to happen.

In the villa atop the Hill of Shadows, the Clan Master was not pleased with the overall atmosphere that he woke up to. He preferred thick clouds that impeded the sun to be visible, and he liked the whiteness of snow all around him. He also preferred the cold, and hated the warmth of the sun, although one of his destructive powers was the use of fire.

Truthfully, he could have it snowing in Isla del Fuego all-year round, but he knew that his mortal lover, his Treize, will not appreciate it as much. His lover thrived on sunlight, it seemed to him, and he became noticeably pallid and lethargic with only two days of snow. Also, it would not be beneficial to the whole magic-wielding community as a whole. Not that the great Clan Master Milliardo Peacecraft actually cared for the other magic-wielders, but the whole world might zero-in on their island haven, and discover that their presence was not only in myths, but in real life. Their presence and magic they can keep from the humans that lived in their city, but from the whole world? Milliardo shook his head. It might have been possible in the past when the Cleaners, a neutral group tasked with keeping all forms of magic from being exposed to humans, were still in effect and the Guardians were still more powerful and all-knowing than the earthbound magical beings. Now, the Guardians were no more than wise spectators--they could only advise, but they had no power over the most powerful clans. This happened during the past several centuries that brought each side, good and evil, great increase in power.

The Clan Master pursed his lips, and drew the velvet curtains closed.

In the back of his mind, he was reminded that his own sister had not yet come home. Yes, it was true that he could not feel her power's signature anymore. The last time that he felt it was after they went out to search for his son around the gas stations and grocery stores. He had always been confident of his sister's powers, and of her cunning. He knew that she could find her way back whenever she chose to do so, but he couldn't help but be worried, even just a little. His sister had never left him for prolonged periods of time in the years that they had been together, more than ninety years now, in fact.

Milliard snorted. "I'm worried. Now, what do I make of that?" he murmured to himself.

He tried to be angry at Relena, because her disappearance was distracting him from his most important task, that is to find his son. He could not do it, though. "Oh hell," he muttered. Might as well make his henchmen look for Relena while looking for his son.

◊

In the Halliwell manor within the City of Fire, Wufei, Heero, and Trowa had all just finished eating breakfast and were about to leave for school. Quatre appeared just then to see them off.

Trowa squirmed, his eyes not meeting the blonde's. "Quatre, we have to go now or we'll be late. I'm really sorry about the dishes..."

The White Lighter chuckled. "That's why I orbed here. Don't worry about it, but you owe me for this one."

The youngest Halliwell's mouth quirked upwards. "Okay. Thanks."

As the trio left the house, the blonde White Lighter turned to the dishes and felt something amiss.

_That's strange. There's a trace of magic potion here..._

He went to the bowls, still on their places on the dining table, and placed his right hand over each of them. When his hand came over Wufei's cereal bowl, his aquamarine eyes widened in surprise.

_...But why would he do this?_

◊

Wufei felt like he was attacked by a barrage of magic snow and fire balls all at the same time upon waking. His fitful sleep did not help ease his worries, and he woke up, still having dark circles under his eyes.

He cursed as he woke up, he cursed in the shower, and he cursed as he made his way into the kitchen to have breakfast with his brothers. He had two tests that day, one in Physics and one in Calculus, and he cursed, too, as he remembered.

He had hoped that his mood would lighten when he had his breakfast, but he was not counting on it. If sleep failed to bring its usual comforts, then what will? he thought. But as he ran so as not to be late, he felt different. He felt good, he mused. _Hell, I feel perfect!_

He ran past his brother, Trowa, and was about to reprimand him on running faster for it was his fault that they were running late. As he opened his mouth, he stopped. _It's not worth it. I feel too good today. Besides, Trowa's old enough. He doesn't need me always nagging him._

_Maybe Mother heard me after all..._

_Damn, but I feel good!_

◊

It was in the afternoon as the three brothers trudged home. Or rather, two of the brothers trudged, while the eldest walked with a slight spring to his step, and a serene look on his face.

Heero found this unnerving, though not an unwelcome occurrence. He'd been wanting to tell his brother to relax, as it was apparent that he was really stressed, but it was unnerving just the same.

Trowa, meanwhile, had a bored look on his face. It was not a distinctly bored look. .He merely looked expressionless to some, though his boredom was apparent to his two brothers in the way that his jaws were not set in a relaxed bite.

Heero found this unnerving as well. He just hoped that his younger brother would not try to pick a fight with him, as all his attempts at drawing Wufei into a harmless banter were foiled by their eldest brother's good mood.

"Why don't we all go to the park?" Wufei blurted out as he threw a look at his brothers, his manner easygoing. "It's a perfectly nice day. We can spar, or meditate."

_This is...weird. I've never seen him like this,_ Heero thought. "I don't think we should do that, Wufei. We still have school work, and we need to practice."

Wufei pouted, which even unnerved Heero further. "Spoilsport. What about you, Trowa? I know you're bored."

"I can't. I have a lot of things to do."

Wufei rolled his eyes. "Well, alright. You two go on ahead. I'll just be at the park. I'll be back before dinner--"

Heero frowned. He knew that some relaxation would do his brother good, but he also worried for his safety. "But Wufei, what about Mill--"

"It's okay," Trowa cut in, looking meaningfully at his brother, Heero. "Wufei can take care of himself, and he won't be late for dinner. Right, Wufei?"

"That's right. Thanks, Trowa. I'll be back before dusk."

Wufei ran towards the park, and the two trudged along, lost in their own thoughts.

As they neared the manor, it was Heero who broke the silence first. "Noticed anything different?"

Trowa shrugged. "Maybe he's just really tired and thought that it's time to take a break."

"Hn."

The older of the two unlocked the door. As they both made their way to the kitchen to have some snacks, their White Lighter appeared before them with a smile, though a bit uneasy.

"What's wrong?" Heero asked.

"Nothing!" Quatre denied, his face flushing the tiniest bit. "It's just one of my other charges, but everything's okay now!"

Heero narrowed his eyes. "You just said it was nothing."

"I meant you shouldn't concern yourself over it, Heero."

"Hn." Then he walked into the kitchen, leaving the other two in the hallway.

"What's wrong?" Trowa asked, eyes looking pointedly at the White Lighter.

A stern look passed over Quatre's face, then soon disappeared. He cleared his throat, and said, "I think it's me who's supposed to ask that to you, Trowa, the morning potion-maker."

Trowa's green eyes widened, though only one eye was visible. "How did you know?" he whispered sharply, nervously looking at the kitchen door to see if his older brother heard.

"I have my ways, Trowa," Quatre said, sounding a bit sad. "Care to tell me what made you do that?"

Trowa sighed heavily, then said. "I had to, Quatre. If I didn't, he would never rest. He never listens to me or to Heero, especially when we all know we're right. He'll never concede to taking a break. He feels really pressured from everything, and for being the eldest among us. He's really tired now, Quatre, I know it."

Blue eyes lit up at him questioningly, and he sighed. "I heard him in my mind last night, Quatre. I felt his pain, and his fear. It was... horrible, Quatre. I don't want to feel that way again, and I don't want any of my brothers to feel that way. I can't stand it. That's why I had to do it. If I didn't, he might die from all of the pressure and fear."

Quatre smiled at him, relieved. "How long will the potion last?"

"Just until he goes back to sleep."

"Good. Where is he anyway?"

"He said he'll be at the park."

"Didn't he think of the dangers? The warlocks might--"

"That's what I have to ask of you, Quatre. Could you keep an eye on him until he gets back?"

"I see. Okay." Quatre smiled. "That's my job anyway. We'll be back later." And then he disappeared.

"So you tampered with the potion ingredients."

Trowa whirled around to find Heero snacking on an apple, the look on his face slightly disapproving. Hilde, meanwhile, was perched right beside Heero's left foot, an expression of alarm and guilt on her feline face as if saying, "I tried to stop him! I didn't tell him, Trowa!". He scowled. "I had to."

Heero just snorted, looking at his youngest brother with mild amusement. "All I'm saying, is that I've been doing the inventory for two nights already, and you messed with it. Do the necessary alterations on the list, then help me carry down the vials later. I'm gonna take a nap."

As his older brother mentioned taking a nap, another concern crossed his mind. He looked at Heero, then ventured, "You're not sleeping well, aren't you?"

"Hn." Heero made his way to the stairs, while Hilde made her way to Trowa's arms. The youngest Halliwell didn't look at her, but promptly stroked her fur as she nestled in his arms.

Trowa tried again, this time more boldly. "It's always him in your dreams. The guy with the braid, the one we saw in the grocery weeks ago."

At his words, Heero came to an abrupt halt. He glared at Trowa, who did not cower under his angry countenance. "You haven't been minding your own business, have you, Trowa."

The words came out as a hiss, and Trowa tightened his arms to keep himself from shivering. Hilde mewled in protest beneath her cousin's long-sleeved shirt. "You're not the only one who's confused by him, Heero. I saw him, and there really _is_ something familiar about him. I just don't know what it is. I'm sure I know him, yet I've never seen him before in my whole life."

It was then that Heero seemed to slump into himself, as he slowly sat down onto the step that he was previously standing on. His face in his hands, he murmured a question, "Have you told Quatre about all this?"

"No, not yet. I wasn't sure if you would be angry if I did. I wanted to ask you first."

Heero sighed. Moments later, his answer came. "We must ask him as soon as he comes back." He stood up, and sedately made his way upstairs. Then, at the step just before he reached the top, he called out softly, "Trowa."

"Hai."

"I'm not angry."

Trowa smiled down at his cousin Hilde, who squirmed in his arms. /That's the closest he can come to saying thank you./

/Can you loosen up your arms a bit? I'm choking here, Trowa!/

/Oh, sorry./

◊

_It's been a long while since I've been here,_ Wufei thought, as he breathed in the cooling air of the late afternoon. _I've never been back here since the day of Trowa's birthday, since the day Mother came back to tell us of our heritage._

_And it's good to be back. It's so good to be able to relax like this, without worries..._

_/But we _do_ have a lot of things to worry about. Hell, they're life and death matters! What the hell am I doing here, anyway?! I'm a sitting duck if I'm caught by the warlocks, and I'm _dead_ if Milliardo Peacecraft stumbles upon me!/_

Again, not the first time that day, Wufei just felt his quickened breathing slow down, and his pulse calmed. At the back of his mind he knew there was something that was not quite right, but every time he thought about it, he forgot what it was.

_Hm. So what if Milliardo Peacecraft kills me? Death is just part of life. Let him conquer the world, for all I care._

◊

Duo had never seen the boy before. Never had he seen hair as black, nor skin tanned quite like the boy's. He had never seen such slant of the eyes, and yet, as their gazes met, it was as if Duo knew this person. It was as if...

It was as if he was family, which was weird, because he never had an actual family.

A feeling surged within him, like tides rising and swelling. It was warm, and it felt like it wanted out of Duo's skin, to envelope the unknown yet achingly familiar boy.

"This is crazy," he muttered, even as his amethystine eyes took on a decidedly ruby sheen. "T-this..."

And suddenly, he was back into another past night, one not unlike the nights of his dreams where a man who looked like Heero had all been in.

_"I hope you kissed your dear warlock goodbye, Nicki. Or maybe I should say that I hope you hadn't, as that might alert him that his existence is in peril."_

_"You're really enjoying this, aren't you, Deandra?"_

_A pause. "I only want this to be over."_

_"Ch. Coulda fooled me."_

_"Do we really have to vanquish Hale, Deandra? He hasn't--"_

_"Must we wait for him to do something before we act, Triton?"_

_"Hey! I told you to stop calling me that!"_

_"Will you two just shut up?! Let's get this over with."_

Another feeling fought within him--a force, like a giant rock, trying to quell the other rising emotion from surfacing.

"Who are you?" he asked, his eyes flickering from violet to red and back again. "Why do you... Who...?"

◊

Wufei felt like he was suffocating--one moment, the air was too hot and thick, the next it was back to normal. He couldn't understand what was happening, and he felt all the more confused at the longhaired boy before him.

He had appraised him as harmless enough--a homeless teenager who apparently sought a place to stay in the park. The way that the boy's eyes shone crimson proved otherwise. _He must be one of them. I should get out of here fast!_

The boy froze in his tracks, his fists tightly curled as if warding off pain. "G-get away from me..." He fell to his knees, gasping, "Go!"

Wufei heeded the words. He scrambled away, stumbling on the bushes. He put as much distance between them as he could.

◊

Not far from Duo, four warlocks shimmered in place.

"Finally!" one of them exclaimed.

"We have to be careful. It looks like he still can't control his powers."

"We better tell the Master."

At those words, Milliardo Peacecraft shimmered in place. "The four of you, you've done me a great service. I shall deal with this on my own."

"Yes, Master," the four acquiesced.

As the four shimmered out, Milliardo set his gaze upon the boy hunched on the grass a few feet away from him.

_He's fighting his powers,_ he thought, alarmed. _He's in so much pain because of this transition._

_You were also in pain during the transition. Pain helps to be stronger. He may be your son, but this will be good for him in the long run. He needs to be strong, not only in powers, but in heart, to succeed as the clan's master, _another side of him argued, one that resembled the voice of his father.

_True, but..._ He gazed at his son and heard him whimper. He frowned and clenched his fists.

There was something within him, so long-buried that he'd thought it was gone, that rose and squeezed at his heart.

Without being fully aware, he was on his knees, hovering protectively over the teenager. "My son," he whispered, taking the quivering boy in his arms. "I'm here now. I'm taking you home."

The two figures shimmered out.

◊

Quatre orbed in right beside a couch, with Wufei hanging limply on his shoulders. He carefully deposited his charge onto the couch, then went to find the other two brothers in the manor.

/Heero? ...Trowa?/

/We're here in the attic,/ Trowa replied with his mind.

He orbed into the attic to find the two brothers gathering carefully labeled potions ingredients into a tray.

"Where is Wufei?" asked Heero.

"He's downstairs, resting," Quatre replied, feeling a bit anxious. "He bumped into me at the park."

The two brothers went about their business, as if not hearing.

The White Lighter tried again. "By 'bumped into me,' I meant literally."

Trowa looked up from the inventorying with a blank expression. "Oh." Then went back to his task.

Quatre pressed his lips together.

/Spill it out./

"Wufei was really scared when I found him at the park. It was as if he was running for his life."

"Did he tell you why he was running?" Trowa asked.

The blonde shook his head. "No. Before I orbed out he just collapsed against me."

"Did you try scanning his mind for images?" Heero asked, his attention now fully focused on the White Lighter.

"I can only pick up thoughts and hints of feelings, Heero. All I got from him was that he had to get away quickly."

"Then we'll just have to wait for him to wake up," Heero decided, automatically taking charge.

"I think it's best if we prepare some herbs for when he wakes up. He might not be feeling well," Trowa suggested.

"Okay, let's do that," Heero agreed.

◊

_"The spell, now! ...Triton? Nicki? ... Aaah!"_

_There was a sharp, burning, and rapidly spreading pain in her chest. As her eyes clouded over, her sister's voice penetrated the fog._

_"I'm sorry, Deandra, but I have to have bad karma in order for the deal to be sealed--"_

_"N-nicki?" she gasped. "What--?"_

_"I apologize...to the generations ahead of us, for what it's worth."_

_She felt the poisoned knife withdrawn from her chest. She would have screamed if she could breathe. And then..._

_She heard her sister cry out in pain, but she couldn't see anymore. Everything was a haze of fading silver, then gray, and then everything was black._

◊

"Wufei! Wufei, wake up!"

"Wufei, you're having a bad dream!"

"Meoww!"

Wufei's eyes snapped open as he violently drew in a breath of air. He held his breath, trapping the air in his lungs, wanting the mounting pressure in his chest to overpower the sensation of the poisoned dagger that still felt so real to him even upon waking.

He hoped it was a mere dream. He hoped--

"Wufei, breathe!"

He let go of the air, exhaling loudly, eyes still not blinking. /Please, please let it be just a dream.../

"Wufei?" Quatre's face loomed over him, large blue eyes tinged with panic.

He frowned, trying to get his wits back.

"Wufei, here, drink this," the White Lighter instructed, handing him a glass of water.

He gulped the water down, and then Heero handed him a cup of tea made from the herbs in their potion ingredients. He also drank it down, unmindful of the warm temperature of the tea.

The soothing aroma from the tea calmed his senses. His heartbeat gradually slowed back to normal after several breaths. There was something within him that wanted to recall what he saw in his dream, and that something within him was telling him that it was of utmost importance. His conscious mind, however, was unwilling.

/No. Surely, surely it was merely a dream. Nothing more. It's only a dream./

"How are you feeling, Wufei?" It was Quatre.

He nodded his thanks, and replied, "I'm all right."

When he offered no further statement, it was Heero who asked, "What happened to you in the park?"

"The park?" Wufei asked, puzzled.

"You told us after school that you'd go there to meditate," said Trowa. "Quatre found you there in a state of...panic."

Wufei slowly closed his eyes, trying to remember what happened to him earlier that afternoon in the park. Yes, he did remember that he was in his favorite spot in the park. He was meditating, breathing in positive vibes and relaxing his tense mind and body. Something happened during that time...

The suffocating feeling snuck up on him without warning, as it did the first time, and after a second it was gone. It was as if it was only his imagination, but to him it clearly wasn't. The unpleasant sensation was trying to remind him of something that happened, of something he had seen. What was it? _Who_ was it?

"I..." The memory was within his grasp, but he couldn't give voice to what he thought he saw. All he remembered was a boy--a faceless stranger who felt familiar to him. A familiar and threatening boy that entreated him to...to "Get away."

"What was that?"

"He...there was a boy. He told me to get away. I was meditating. He came up to me somewhat and told me to get away. The rest is foggy in my mind."

"That's okay, Wufei. You should get some more rest after that ordeal. Maybe after your respite you will feel better."

Wufei nodded and closed his eyes again.

When Quatre, Heero, Trowa stepped out of Wufei's room, with Hilde noiselessly padding behind them, they wore grave expressions. As they decided beforehand, they made their way to the attic and conversed.

"I know you saw something, Trowa," Heero said.

"Did you really, Trowa? What was it?"

Trowa hesitated. He _did _see something. He clearly felt Wufei's dream. The shock, pain, and betrayal that was palpable in the dream disturbed him that he could not breathe for a few seconds. The thing that he saw in his brother's dream...

"I don't think it holds any significance to whatever happened to him in the park. The dream was quite nonsensical to me... I can't really make anything out of it. I only felt the fear, but maybe that was a remnant of what happened in the park," was what he said. Inwardly, he hoped that neither his brother nor their White Lighter would sense that he was not telling the entire truth.

The thing that he saw in his brother's dream...the _person_ he saw in his brother's dream...

_I need to know more. For now, Heero can't know about it. It might not be safe for him not to know, but it might be even more disastrous if he knew right away. _

"Well, that's understandable," Quatre said, easily accepting his words. "If that's all that Trowa saw, then we have no choice but to wait for Wufei to remember, Heero."

"Hn." Heero still looked unconvinced. He knew his brother was hiding something; he just didn't know the reason behind the secrecy. _But whatever he's hiding, I'm sure I'll know about it soon. _"Nothing's kept hidden for long," he murmured thoughtfully, looking right at Trowa.

Trowa met his older brother's steel-blue stare head on, and wielded the weapon that always worked well for him: his silence. _I'm sorry, Heero, but I need to talk to Wufei first if you're to know about anything about his dream._

[end part 7]


	8. Ice and Death update

Author's Update: I'm so sorry for doing this, but FFN keeps reformatting my file. Please go to either of the sites on my profile for the fic update.

For those of you who have me on author alert, I will continue posting update notes here so that you'll receive e-mail alerts.

As always, please review!(smiles) Either through here or through e-mail is fine. Thank you.


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